By Michael Kerr
Rocky Mountain bighorns are an easy animal to spot in most of the mountain national parks. The sheep
occasionally roam the streets of Waterton, they frequent the highways and parkways, and loiter about
many a parking lot. In other words, it doesn't take a whole lot of effort to run into them--spend enough
time in the mountains and you're sure to eventually see one. So since they're so commonplace, let's
review some sheep basics so you don't feel sheepish about your first encounter with them.
First and foremost, don't confuse the Rocky Mountain bighorns with that other four-legged Rocky
mountaineer--the mountain goats (Not that it will offend them, but you want to impress your kids,
don't you?).
The bighorn sheep are the ones with the tan-coloured coats; white rump patch; beardless chins; and
larger, curling brown horns. The mountain goats have longer, white coats; a bearded chin; and short,
dagger-like black horns. With the occasional exception in the form of the odd roadside mineral lick, the
mountain goats are much rarer to see, preferring to hang out (literally) on the highest of peaks.
Now that you've correctly identified the animal in question as a sheep, you'll want to further impress
your family by pointing out that the ewes have the shorter, curved horns, while the rams are adorned
with the much larger horns that eventually curl right around into a full circle as the animal matures. For bonus points, you can also
determine the minimum age of a
sheep by counting the large annual
growth rings on the horns. Finally,
to ensure your family buys you a
free lunch, let them know that
rams will sometimes engage in
titanic battles during the fall
mating season, wherein two
evenly matched rams will butt
heads (in rare instances for up to
twenty hours) over the right to
breed with the ewes.
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Depending on the time of year, your family is bound to ask why the sheeps' coats look so tattered and unkempt, as though they're having a really bad hair day. This is where you'll explain that the sheep really are healthy--they're simply replacing their heavier winter coats for a lighter, more fashionable summer look.
Now, if you want to move up from simply getting a free lunch into the realm of free dinner territory, you'll want to keep your family, not to mention your vehicle, safe at all times. So know that despite all appearances to the contrary, even the tamest looking sheep are still wild, and those horns really do make a powerful battering ram. So don't get too close, don't be overly nosy with the camera, and definitely don't even think about feeding the sheep.
Or you really will end up feeling a little sheepish.
Michael Kerr is former park naturalist and the author of five books, including The Canadian Rockies Guide to Wildlife Watching, What's So Funny About Alberta? and When Do You Let the Animals Out? A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Humour. Surf him up at www.mikekerr.com. |
