Fauna Series No. 6

Fauna of the National Parks — No. 6 The Bighorn of Death Valley

CONTENTS

Cover

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Summary

Introduction

a. How and Why This Study Was Begun
b. Previous Studies of Death Valley Bighorn
c. Chronology and Scope of the Present Study
d. Cast of Characters

Life History of the Death Valley Bighorn

a. Habitat

b. Food
     Kinds
     Shortages
     A Factor in Distribution and Survival

c. Water
     Requirements by Season
     Amounts Taken
     Shortages
          Caused by Man
          Caused by Wild Burros
          Natural
     Acceptance of New Sources
     Watering Behavior
     A Factor in Distribution and Survival

d. Home Area

e. Trails

f. Activity

g. General Habits
     Wariness
          By Age Class and Sex
          "Freezing"
          Curiosity
          Length of Retreat When Frightened
          Response to Humans and Equipment
          Response to Noises
     Herd Leadership
     Gregariousness
     Play
     Memory
     Climbing Ability
     Fighting
     Rest
     Sanitation
     Urination

h. Communication
     Voice
     "Clonking"
     Stamping
     Hearing
     Touch
     Movement
     Appeasement
     Showing Rump Patch
     Vision
     Sense of Smell
     Signposts

i. Reproduction
     Males
          Rutting Period
          Feeding Behavior
          Distance Traveled
          Attention to Females
          Fighting with Other Males
          Response to Young
          Group Activity
     Females and Young
          Response to Males
          Selection of Lambing Area
          Number of Young
          Birth of Young
          Growth, Behavior, and Care of Young

j. Structure
     Size
     Horns
     Track Measurements
     Pelages

k. Diseases and Parasites

l. Population Dynamics

     Longevity
     Herd Composition
     Numbers
     Census Methods
     Distribution
     Field Identification
     Sign Reading
          Usefulness of Beds
          Usefulness of Pellets
          Associative Principle
          Usefulness of Tracks and Soil
     Chief Causes of Mortality

m. Competitors and Enemies
     Man
     Deer
     Wild Burro
     Mountain Lion and Other "Predators"

Status for the Future

Conclusions

Selected Bibliography

Photographs

Index (omitted from the online edition)

MAPS

1 Death Valley National Monument

2 Bighorn Distribution

TABLES

1 Observations upon which report is based

2 Visits of sheep to Nevares Spring, August and September 1957

3 Official air temperature record, Death Valley National Monument headquarters, for July, August, September, and October, 1957

4 National Park Service ground temperature readings in Furnace Creek vicinity, May—November 1957

5 National Park Service ground temperature readings at Badwater and Tule Spring, May, June, July, and August 1958

6 Hourly record of bighorn drinking at Nevares Spring, from August 11 to September 10, 1957

7 Drinking time of bighorn at Nevares Spring, 1957

8 Bighorn watering record at Nevares Spring, August 11 to September 10, 1957

9 Observations on nursing new lamb

10 Measurements of bighorn from Nevada and Arizona

11 Measurements of Death Valley ram horns, from skulls

12 Bighorn census surveys, Death Valley National Monument, 1955—59

Last Modified: Thurs, May 16 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/fauna6/faunat.htm