Everything about The Desert Bighorn Sheep totally explained
The
Desert Bighorn Sheep (
Ovis canadensis nelsoni) is a subspecies of
Bighorn Sheep that occurs in the desert Southwest regions of the
United States and in the northern regions of
Mexico. The trinomial of this species commemorates the American naturalist
Edward William Nelson.The characteristics and behavior of Desert Bighorn Sheep generally follow those of other Bighorn Sheep, except for adaptation to the lack of water in the desert: bighorn sheep can go for extended periods of time without drinking water.
Populations of the Desert Bighorn Sheep declined drastically with
European colonization of the American Southwest beginning in the
1500s. As of
2004, Desert Bighorn Sheep numbers are extremely low, although the overall population trend has increased since
1960. These declines were followed by a period of population stabilization that was ascribed to
conservation measures.
Typical diet
Typical diet: mainly grasses, sedges and forbs.
Characteristics
Desert bighorn are stocky, heavy-bodied
sheep, similar in size to
mule deer. Weights of mature rams range from 125 to 200 pounds (55 to 90 kg), while ewes are somewhat smaller. Due to their unique padded hooves, bighorn are able to climb the steep, rocky terrain of the desert mountains with speed and agility. Bighorn rely on their keen eyesight to detect potential predators such as
mountain lions,
coyotes, and
bobcats, and they use their climbing ability to escape.
Southern desert bighorn sheep are typically found in small scattered bands adapted to a desert mountain environment with little or no permanent
water. Some of the bighorn may go without visiting water for weeks or months, sustaining their body moisture from food and from rainwater collected in temporary rock pools. They may have the ability to lose up to 30 percent of their body weight and still survive. After drinking water, they quickly recover from their
dehydrated condition. Wildlife ecologists are just beginning to study the importance of this
adaptive strategy, which has allowed these small bands to survive in areas too dry for many of their predators. estimated the pre-Columbian numbers of all subspecies of bighorn sheep in North America at 1.5-2 million. documented major declines from the 1850’s to the early 1900’s. These declines were attributed to excessive
hunting; competition and diseases from domestic
livestock, particularly
domestic sheep; usurpation of watering areas and critical range by human activities; and human-induced habitat changes.
Desert Bighorn Sheep population trends have been upward since the
1960s when their population was estimated at 6,700-8,100. The upward trend was caused by conservation measures, including
habitat preservation. In
1980 Desert Bighorn Sheep populations were estimated at 8,415-9,040. A state-by-state survey was conducted a few years later and estimated the overall U.S. Desert Bighorn Sheep population at 15,980. The
1993 estimate of the population is 18,965-19,040.
The results of the state-by-state survey are shown to the right.
[Further Information]
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