Glacier National Park and the Bighorn Sheep

Nature is beautiful and in the western part of North America, the rich diversity of wild animals can be vast.  For instance, the bighorn sheep of Glacier National Park not only are incredible creatures, but many researchers are fascinated by how these hardy animals live among the local wildlife and handle the extreme elements this park area offers.

Once abundant and mighty, the bighorn sheep once thrived in the area now part of Glacier National Park.  In fact, about 200 years ago, there were close to 2 million of these sheep roaming the tall cliffs (a strategy that helps them stay far away and flee predators), however today, their numbers are extremely depressed with some estimates ranging in the 600-800 range at the park and only 28K in North America.

While the numbers of bighorn sheep- which get their name from horns that can reach 42 inches in length have been in huge decline over the last several decades, several wildlife conservationists have been working to increase their numbers.  The bighorn sheep of Glacier National Park are still a mystery to researchers and it is hoped that with further study many of their secrets will be unlocked and better understood to ultimately help increase its population.

For those interested in the bighorn sheep of Glacier National Park, Smithsonian Magazine has a fascinating article available.  Please visit it us at the following link:  http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep offer an imposing presence being one of the symbols of the North American west. With its large and curling horns, these sheep are hardy animals that live comfortably in the cold mountains and are an extremely important element of the local wildlife in Glacier National Park.

While bighorn sheep once thrived in the area with its thick horns that sometimes grew to 45 inches in length (for males) and the ability to scale tall cliffs to seek haven from predators, there numbers are frightening few these days. About 200 years ago there were close to 2 million of these sheep, today, their numbers are in the hundreds surrounding Glacier National Park's area (600-800) and only 28K in North America.

The Bighorn’s population in Glacier National Park and on the North American continent has seen a huge decline –unfortunately due to the actions of man, but there is hope to once again get these strong and hardy sheep’s numbers back on track. With the efforts of a few conservationists to raise the numbers of these sheep, comes a much better understanding of these creatures. There is much that has been learned, but plenty that is still unknown about these great animals.

For those fascinated by the bighorn sheep and their habitat at Glacier National Park, Smithsonian Magazine has a wonderfully written article chock full of interesting tidbits, facts and photos. You can view it at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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The Big Horn Sheep of Glacier National Park

The bighorn sheep, with its large, curling horns and imposing presence, is a symbol of the North American west. These hardy animals live in the cold mountains of the west, and are an important element of the wildlife of Glacier National Park Bighorns are hardy, intimidating animals. When only days old, these creatures can scale cliffs and easily keep out of the way of predators. The males’ thick horns grow up to 45 inches long, and curl rather menacingly around their eyes. The dramatic head-butting of bighorn males competing for dominance figures in any animal documentary about the area. They seem as ever-lasting as the stones around them.

But these tough-and-hardy icons of Glacier National Park and the American west are in trouble. Two-hundred years ago, about 1.5 to 2 million bighorn sheep called North America home. Today that number has been drastically reduced. With only 28,000 bighorn sheep remaining on the continent and only 400 to 600 remaining in Glacier National Park, bighorns have been listed as a “species of concern”-- they’re at real risk of becoming endangered.

Why has the bighorn population in Glacier National Park and the rest of the continent seen such a decline? Many factors are involved; and as usual, most of them result from the actions of man. For one, bighorns are vulnerable to the diseases of our domestic sheep; they also see their foraging areas devastated by them. Another big factor in the falling bighorn population is the dramatic reduction of their habitat. Mountain meadows are bighorns’ main grazing spots, and these are being steadily reduced by encroaching forests-- forests which used to be controlled by the natural forest fires that we now work so hard to prevent.

To protect the bighorn sheep of Glacier National Park, wildlife biologists like Kim Keating of the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center are striving to understand them better. Bighorns are frequent residents of the most visited parts of Glacier National Park, and have been observed there for decades. However, much about their lives, especially where they forage in winter, has been a mystery for years. To learn more about the habits of the bighorn, biologists like Keating have fitted the animals with battery-powered GPS unit collars. These units track their location every five minutes for an entire year, and give wildlife biologists huge insights into the wintering, birthing (or lambing), and mating spots of the bighorn sheep.

Without the support of people like Keating, the bighorn could easily wind up on the endangered species list. To learn more about protecting this important Glacier National Park species, visit the Smithsonian Magazine website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/