Endangered

(fws.gov)

U.S. Endangered Species Act

(fws.gov)

Top threats come from both man-made disturbances such as off-highway vehicles, mountain biking, and hiking, as well as nature disturbances such as non-native invasive plants and fires. These all can contribute to the habitat loss and fragmentation they are experiencing (fws.gov).

Peninsular Ranges in southern California, from the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains, to down south near the United States-Mexico border (fws.gov).

Monitoring Efforts and Surveys for Desert Bighorn Populations (wildlife.ca.gov).

While this is not an official document listing permit experience requirements for desert bighorn sheep, this page contains general information regarding permits for endangered and threatened species: Permits for Native Endangered and Threatened Species (fws.gov)

Desert bighorn sheep inhabit rock slopes and cliffs, washes, canyons, and alluvial fans. They prefer habitats that are both open and rugged where they can use their climbing abilities and exceptional vision to not only detect prey but escape predators as well. They are generalist herbivores, eating primarily cacti and other plants. The females (known as ewes) are found to live in congregation with their offspring, while the males will migrate between these groups during the breeding season in fall (wildlife.ca.gov). Males and females both reach sexual maturity around 2 years of age. Gestation lasts from 150-180 days and ewes will typically give birth to only 1 lamb. After birth, the lambs are weaned after 4-6 months and lambs will continue to graze with the ewes. After 2-4 years, the young rams will go off from the original group to follow adult rams to participate in the breeding season (biologicaldiversity.org).

There is a lack of research regarding the potential increase in predation as a result of habitat loss and may be interesting to see how this domino effect could impact the species even more.

Recovery Plan for Bighorn Sheep in the Peninsular Ranges, California (fws.gov)

The Peninsular Ranges population of Desert Bighorn Sheep have thick necks and muscular bodies. The body color can range from dark brown to light tan with white on its belly, rump patch, back of the legs, eye patch, and muzzle area. The tail is short and dark brown in color. The adult male rams have horns that are thick and can be massive, curving with a C-shape behind the ears and then coming back down near the side of its head area. The mature female ewes have slender and short horns that can form up to half a curl (fws.gov). Desert bighorn sheep can look similar to Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. The main difference is the horn shape, as desert bighorns have the tight C-shaped curl, while Sierra Nevada bighorn have a wider flared out shape (wildlife.ca.gov).

Peninsular Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (fws.gov)

Peninsular Desert Bighorn Sheep | California Department of Fish & Wildlife (wildlife.ca.gov)

Natural History Bighorn Sheep | Center for Biological Diversity (biologicaldiversity.org)

Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Facts | California Department of Fish & Wildlife (wildlife.ca.gov)