Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

by Peggy Larson,

Desert bighorn sheep are inhabitants of some of western Arizona's rugged and arid mountains. Males may be up to 39 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 200 pounds. They are noted for their massive, coiled horns, which may measure 40 inches along the outside of the curl. During rutting season, male bighorns butt heads in impressive, jarring, dominance contests. Females are smaller in body size and have less massive, uncoiled horns.

Small herds of bighorn sheep consist of both sexes of various ages led by a dominant ram. They live on the sparse vegetation of their ranges and visit rare waterholes or manmade water catchments as needed for water.

See bighorn sheep at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson.