Bighorn sheep near and far: Mammal Monday

I saw this taxidermy mount of a bighorn sheep at the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center in California. It was nice to get such a close view of this ram.

Bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis, live in parts of western North America. There are three subspecies. Males of the Rocky Mountain subspecies can weigh more than 500 pounds.

After the population declined dramatically between 1870 to 1950, bighorns were reintroduced in several places. Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in Oregon was one of those locations. Here’s a herd I saw while living there.

If you’re lucky, you can also spot bighorn in Yellowstone National Park. I took this photo of two lambs and a ewe from hundreds of yards away through my spotting scope.

Bighorn sheep are doing well throughout most of their range. However, in some locations, including Hart Mountain, there have been significant declines. Research is underway to help preserve these impressive animals.

Mammal Monday

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