Fauna Series No. 6

Fauna of the National Parks — No. 6 The Bighorn of Death Valley

Figure 29.—The accident that gave Scarface her name could hardly be duplicated on another ewe. Once photographed for comparison, her identity could be established anywhere as "positive."

Figure 30.—Rambunctious was present at Furnace Creek Wash in 1955 and 1956 and at Nevares Spring in 1957. The large scar on the right side, high up, of this 2-year-old-ram, as shown here, the smaller scar on the shoulder, and the pronounced annular sectioning of the horn-tips made identification fairly "positive."

Figure 31.—Old Eighty has lost her right horntip. The ring near the middle of both horns, over a quarter of an inch deep, was unique. Whether this groove resulted from malnutrition during a bad year or from sickness is unknown.

Figure 32.—Relative horn development is greater in a 6-month-old ram (Bad Boy, foreground) than in a ewe lamb (Little Whitey), left) of the same age.

Figure 33.—Second and third from the left are the same ewe (Little Whitey) and ram (Bad Boy) at 18 months. The trend toward thicker, more outwardly-turned horns continues in the young ram. Animal at far left also is a young ram, the others are ewes.

Figure 34.3When Old Mama returned with her newborn lamb on February 2, 1956, it could scarcely stand, wobbling precariously as it walked, falling down in the brush and rocks. Yet by 4 p.m. it had gained enough strength to climb out of the wash and followed its mother 1-1/2 miles up Pyramid Peak for bedding.

Figure 35.—Within 10 days Old Mama's lamb was beginning to nibble at the same food its mother ate. The sparse and rigid character of the desert bighorn forage shown here is typical.

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Last Modified: Thurs, May 16 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
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