NPS Photo

Three Desert Bighorns at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Many people consider the Desert Bighorn sheep (ovis canadencis nelsoni or o.c.mexicana) to be an icon of the western deserts and canyons.  There are several different varieties of Bighorn sheep, including the Rocky Mountain and Sierra types.  All of them are muscular, solid animals, with legendary rock climbing abilities. All bighorn rams have heavy curving horns, while the ewes have shorter, slenderer versions.  These horns are not shed, are constructed of the same hard material as human fingernails. 

  The Desert Bighorn is distinguished by its shorter, lighter colored fur in order to keep it cooler in the extreme heat of the day.  They also perspire and pant to cool themselves during the hottest times.  Bighorn have the ability to go for long periods without water, getting most of their moisture from the variety of plants that they eat.  However, during the hot summers, they must drink at least every few days, so Bighorn tend to stay close to water holes and springs.  These majestic, beautiful creatures are very reclusive and not often seen.

Many desert animals, including the Bighorn Sheep, are crepuscular, meaning they are active in the early morning and again in the evening.  Count yourself very fortunate to see one of these shy sheep of the Sonoran Desert. 

The Tohono O’odam people and also the Mexican people, among other local cultures, have developed a fascinating and ancient relationship with the Desert Bighorn that is based on mutual respect and trust.  For more on this, read Counting Sheep:20 Ways of Seeing Desert Bighorn, edited by Gary Paul Nabhan.

If you are an armchair wildlife biologist, and are interested in learning more about the Desert Bighorn, try delving into The Desert Bighorn: Its Life History, Ecology, and Management by Gale  Monson and Lowell Sumner.