From a quick glimpse of this cliff setting, It would seem that these animals are in a predicament. They literally appear to be balanced on the edge of the rockface.
However, these iconic animals can walk across rocky terrain with first-class excellence. They have many physical adaptations that enable them to do so!
Stealth Climbers Navigate A Rockface
These animals are none other than bighorn sheep. They are found in North America’s mountainous regions. The males of the species are known for their large, curling horns. While the females also have horns, they are less curved and smaller.
Their eyesight is also really excellent. Their wide-set eyes provide nearly 320-degree vision. This enables them to detect predators from afar.
But what really sets them apart is their climbing ability.
Watching them climb can make you want to look away. It appears they are on the brink of falling!
However, they aren’t too concerned about the steep climb. It’s what they have been built for.
These animals are familiar with steep, rugged terrain. They have specialised split hooves and rough footpads, which give them traction on rocky surfaces.
This gives them extra grip as they scale seemingly impossible slopes.
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Speedy, Versatile Climbers
In addition to their hooves, they have strong, muscular legs. Their legs are powerful and springy, allowing them to easily leap from ledge to ledge and climb steep inclines.
They also have relatively short, muscular bodies, which lowers their centre of gravity and helps them balance on narrow or sloped terrain.
Their excellent balance and muscle coordination let them navigate narrow ledges and cliffs at surprising speed.
As evident in this moment, the animals aren’t struggling to climb. They are moving fast across the slope, and if they are afraid, they don’t show it.
So you can look again, they aren’t about to fall!
Bighorn sheep climb for various reasons. Cliffs and rocky slopes offer safe refuge from predators like mountain lions, coyotes, and wolves, which are less agile climbers.
When you can balance with such finesse on a cliff face as these animals can, you are practically untouchable.
Climbing also allows the species to reach high-altitude vegetation that many other herbivores can’t access.
Higher elevations provide cooler temperatures in hot climates, especially important for desert bighorn sheep.
In many places, they will also use high terrain to avoid roads, development, and human activity.
These climbing abilities are not just impressive… they’re essential to the bighorn sheep’s survival in the wild.
A Memorable Reminder That Anything Is Possible In Nature
Bighorn sheep are native to North America, and while their populations were once widespread and numerous, they have declined in many areas due to disease, habitat loss, and hunting.
However, conservation efforts have helped stabilise and even restore some populations.
These fearless climbers no doubt left a huge impression on Judy, who watched them traverse the ‘impossible’ and come out alive! It was an unforgettable viewing experience for her, but for the bighorn sheep, it was just another day of business as usual.