Sheep in town

This Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep seemed to be giving his better side for picture taking. (Photo by Larry Halverson)

It is not certain how this ram lost part of it’s right horn but it is easy to speculate from biologist Valerius Geist’s description of fighting rams. “Sheep focus the whole force of the clash on one horn heel delivering blows with the combined effect of a sledgehammer and a karate chop. Bighorn sheep will also break their own horn tips by wedging them in rocks. This ‘brooming’ behavior is thought to help sheep preserve their peripheral vision.”