The bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis is the largest wild sheep native to North America. The species gets its name from the massive, curled horns of the male, which are used to fight other males in order to establish dominance within a herd. The sound of the crashing horns of battling bighorns can be heard from up to a mile away.
This iconic North American mammal is usually found in rugged, rocky terrain. Its specially-adapted hooves allow it to traverse the steep cliffs and make leaps from ledge to ledge with apparent ease.
The bighorn sheep is the state mammal of both Colorado and Nevada, and the provincial mammal of Alberta.
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