Desert Bighorn Sheep

Rocky Mountain bighorns (Ovis canadensis canadensis) are generally recognized to have inhabited northern and central Utah, whereas desert bighorns (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) were found in southern Utah.

“Mountain sheep, like all other native fauna and flora, are part of the structure and heritage of North America. Despite all of the efforts exerted toward their conservation, wild sheep face a precarious future. They are an ecologically fragile species, adapted to limited habitats that are increasingly fragmented. Future conservation efforts will only be successful if land managers are able to minimize fragmentation. According mountain sheep their rightful share of North America and allowing them to inhabit the wilderness regions they require is a responsibility all Americans must shoulder. It is our moral and ethical obligation never to relent in the struggle to ensure their survival.”