Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
by Priscilla Burgers
Title
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
Artist
Priscilla Burgers
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Image is a winter photograph of a family of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep at Sheep Lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Rocky Mountain bighorns inhabit the mountains from Canada south to New Mexico. They are relatives of goats, and have balance-aiding split hooves and rough hoof bottoms for natural grip. These attributes, along with keen vision, help them move easily about rocky, rugged mountain terrain. Wild sheep live in social groups, but rams and ewes typically meet only to mate. Rams live in bachelor groups and females live in herds with other females and their young rams. When fall mating arrives, rams gather in larger groups and ram fighting escalates. Usually only stronger, older rams (with bigger horns) are able to mate.
In winter, bighorn herds move to lower-elevation mountain pastures. In all seasons, these animals eat available grass, seeds, and plants. They regurgitate their food to chew it as cud before swallowing it for final digestion.
Lambs are born each spring on high, secluded ledges protected from bighorn predators such as wolves, coyotes, and mountain lionsthough not the golden eagles which target lambs. Young can walk soon after birth, and at one week old each lamb and its mother join others in a herd. Lambs are playful and independent, though their mothers nurse them occasionally for four to six months.
FAA ANIMAL FAMILY Contest-11/3/2013
Second Place
FAA Feature Photo
Small Showroom Group-9/19/2013
FAA Featured Photo:
All Colorado Group - 08/27/2014
Uploaded
September 17th, 2013
Statistics
Viewed 385 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/15/2024 at 6:26 AM
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