Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated these sheep were seen on the National Elk Refuge. They were actually spotted in the Gros Ventre. Buckrail regrets the error.
JACKSON, Wyo. — One of the more elusive residents of Jackson Hole, bighorn sheep tend to spend their time in the rocky outcroppings above the valley floor. They nearly blend in with their surroundings, but Buckrail photographer Nick Sulzer’s keen eye spotted a herd on Tuesday, which included some youngins.
Baby bighorns are born in the spring, per the National Park Service (NPS), and males will leave their mother’s group around the age of 2 to 4 years old. Females will stay with the herd for life.
Bighorn sheep have a few unique traits, like holding on to their “crowns” year-round. The NPS states that bighorn sheep’s specialized hooves and rough soles provide a natural grip as they make precarious jumps and breath-taking climbs on sharp cliff faces. Rectangular pupils also offer bighorns a wide view when keeping an eye out for predators. Even their stomach helps them out after a big meal.
“Their digestive system acts as a survival mechanism,” reads the NPS website. “A complex, four-part stomach allows sheep to gain important nutrients from hard, dry forage. They eat large amounts of vegetation quickly and then retreat to cliffs or ledges. Here they can thoroughly re-chew and digest their food away from possible predators.”
