King of the Canyon - Bighorn Ram

by Judi Dressler

Title

King of the Canyon - Bighorn Ram

Artist

Judi Dressler

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

It was the time of year when the males are rutting -- consumed with females and mating (and fighting for them if necessary). This Bighorn Ram was expressing his desires while keeping watch over "his" flock of ewes (females). I love going down to the canyon to watch and photograph them during rutting season, because not only it is fascinating to watch their behavior, but also they are less concerned with people being nearby and often come right down to the road.

From the National Park Service: "Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) are the largest wild sheep in North America. Muscular males can weigh over 300 pounds and stand over three feet tall at the shoulder. Females are roughly half this size.... Specialized hooves and rough soles provide a natural grip as bighorn sheep make precarious jumps and breath-taking climbs up and down sharp cliff faces.... Males, called rams, have large horns that curl around their faces by eight years of age. These horns can weigh up to 30 pounds. Females, called ewes, have smaller horns that curve slightly to a sharp point within the first four years of life."

Photo taken on November 1, 2018, in Waterton Canyon, Littleton, Colorado

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Descriptive tags and keywords for this image include bighorn,bighorn sheep,ram, bighorn ram, wild sheep, portrait, rut, rutting, courting, mating, breeding, male, calling, cliffs, canyons, mountains, proud, powerful, love, in love, flirting, mountain goats, dominance, colorado, rutting season, ovis canadensis, bovidae, wildlife, animals, sheep, wild, goats, nature, photo, photography, photograph, judi dressler, and dressler.

Uploaded

May 17th, 2019

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