Desert Bighorn Sheep

Standing like a sentinel in the high deserts of the West, desert bighorn sheep are an impressive sight to behold. True to their name, the horns of adult males can weigh up to 30 pounds! Heavy as they are, the sheep need their giant horns to break open cactus for food—one of the many ways they have adapted to life in the desert. Although desert bighorn sheep can go for long periods of time without water, a much warmer and drier climate may be beyond what these hardy animals can tolerate. Rainfall is projected to decrease in the western deserts, which could lead to more population extinctions.

Scientific name: Ovis canadensis
IUCN Red List: Lower Risk: Conservation Dependent
Endangered Species Act List: Lower Risk: Conservation Dependent
Region: West, Southwest