Bighorn Sheep (Wyoming)
National Elk Refuge, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. These guys weren’t exactly cute, and they also weren’t the type of bighorn sheep we were used to seeing. I actually thought they were Dall’s sheep at first, haha. 😏 But when we went home, I looked in a field guide and discovered that no, they weren’t Dall’s sheep. It was kind of disappointing.
There were hundreds of them (literally), and they were grouped in male and female groups. In this picture (above) they’re all males. Nothing like best buds! (Or, I should say, nothing like other dudes to fight for territory with, and butt heads that creates a sound so loud it can be heard over a mile away.)
As for why they look a little rough (haha), these guys are molting. Bighorn sheep don’t shed all at once like some animals do; instead, it comes off in patches. That makes them look scruffy, with tufts of fur sticking out at weird angles. This normally takes place in spring and early summer. Also, their coats can get matted and/or rough from rubbing against rocks and bushes. They do this to scratch themselves, to get rid of pesky parasites, and even to dispose of loose hair. (These sheep weren’t very good at choosing which spots to get rid of. 🤣)
