Bighorn Sheep
Ovis canadensis
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Rare
- Observations
- 21,347
- Most observed in
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) or bighorn is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns may weigh up to 14 kg (30 lb); the sheep typically weigh up to 143 kg (315 lb). Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: O. c. sierrae. Sheep originally crossed to North America over the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia; the population in North America peaked in the millions, and the bighorn sheep entered into the mythology of Native Americans. By 1900, the population had crashed to several thousand due to diseases introduced through European livestock and overhunting.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Bighorn sheep”.