Fauna Series No. 6

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

Figure 50.—The ecological undesirability of the feral burro in Death Valley is beyond question, but the actual extent of its threat to the bighorn has not been determined. The condition of Rest Spring shows that burros do not always foul springs. Bighorn will, if other conditions are acceptable, continue to water at springs utilized by burros.

Figure 51.—This and following pictures are the only ones we have seen of desert bighorn on the jousting field. The tournament, which took place in an air temperature of 122° was between Broken Nose and Tabby, both between 10 and 12 years old. Bighorn sometimes mill around for hours "blowing," "growling," and "groaning," in the preliminary phase of the joust shown here.

Figure 52.—The ritual includes and elaborate pretense of disinterest in which one ram turns away and pretends to eat or polish his horns in a nearby shrub. But their eyes are set out so far that they see behind them and know what the other is doing. We have never seen one attempt to "blast" the other during this preliminary maneuver.

Figure 53.—Occasionally they both rear instantaneously from this position and lunge at close range. Usually, however, they turn their backs with every indication of indifference and walk away. But here again each is watching every move of the other, and at varying distances some communication known only to them signals the next move.

Figure 54.—Having walked away a certain number of paces, suddenly they whirl and rise to their hindlegs, then "sighting down their noses" they race toward each other in an upright position, gaining speed and leaning farther forward as they approach.

Figure 55.—When they are about 12 feet apart, with every muscle bulging for a final effort, and with amazing timing and accuracy, they lunge forward like football tacklers.

Figure 56.—Their combined speed at impact has been estimated at 50 to 70 miles per hour and to be the equivalent of a 2,400-pound blow. We counted over 40 such blows between two other rams in one afternoon.

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