California
Ovis canadensis nelsoni  Gerald and Buff Corsi, California Academy of Sciences | |
| Type of Animal: | Mammals |
|---|---|
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Federal Status: | |
| State Status: | |
| Occurrence: | |
| Habitat: | Desert,Mountains,Foothills |
| Description: | Desert bighorn sheep are also known as Nelson bighorn sheep. These bighorn sheep occur in the desert mountain ranges of California. Bighorn sheep are very agile on steep slopes. Living on such difficult terrain helps to protect them from predation. They also prefer open areas which allows them to spot danger from far away. These sheep feed on a wide variety of desert plant species. Their specialized stomach allows them to digest grasses and dry vegetation. The specific diet depends on location, season, and on the amount of precipitation received throughout the year. The breeding season takes place between August and November. Lambs are born between December and June, and a few lambs may be born in the summer. This is also the time when vegetation is most abundant. The desert bighorn sheep population has declined over the years. One factor that has contributed to this is pneumonia, which has spread from domestic sheep to wild bighorn sheep. The bighorn sheep cannot fight off this disease as easily as the domesticated sheep can. Other factors include other diseases, increased mountain lion predation, and drought. Desert bighorn sheep are fully protected under the West Mojave Planning Area. For more information, please click on the link below. |
| Effort: | |
| References: | Jameson et al. 1988. California Mammals. Wilson et al. (editors). 1999. The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Whitaker (editor). 1998. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals, Revised Edition. Zeiner et al. (editors). 1990. California’s Wildlife, Volume III, Mammals. |
| Other Sites: | species account - also known as Nelson bighorn sheep (PDF file, 40 kilobytes) |
| Field Office(s): | Barstow; Needles; Palm Springs; Ridgecrest |