Yellowstone Wildlife - Bighorn
Bighhorn are not often seen in Yellowstone, mainly because of the limited areas they are found. Look for them along the cliffs and steep hills on the road from Mammoth to Gardiner. Rocky outcrops in the Lamar Valley are also good places to look.
Bighorn sheep are well suited to the mountains of Yellowstone, being very adept at
navigating the rocky terrain of high altitudes. An estimated 300 bighorns inhabit
Yellowstone's northern range, and the Mount Washburn region. Bighorns are capable of
scrabbling across rock walls too steep for most pursuing predators.
Males are easily identified by their huge, curled horns. Females have only very small horns.
The bighorn is one of several members of the bovine family, which includes bison,
mountain goats, and musk oxen. The biggest threats to the survival of bighorn are human
disruption of habitat, predators and disease.
Images on this site are copyrighted and may not be downloaded or used without the written permission of Russ Finley