November 16, 2012

Bighorn Sheep

My favorite "even-toed ungulates" of Zion are the bighorn sheep. I was up canyon and up wind when rounded a bend and discovered this small band meandering across some higher terrain.

Bighorn sheep in Zion were lost to human encroachment in the 1950s only to be reintroduced in small numbers in 1973. But the re-introduced herd disappeared and the program was thought to be a failure. Then in the 1990s they were spotted again and recent biologist surveys has pegged their numbers well above 200 in and around the park.

On this recent trip alone, I encountered bighorns 4 times up different east-side canyons. And with properly bellowed "stupid human" noises you can even get them to pose for a picture.