Lesson in Survival

Water is critical to bighorn survival. In early spring of years with good winter rains, they get enough water from the grass they eat to go without drinking. At other times, they must trek to a spring or water-holding depression at least every third day. Bighorn have extremely acute eyesight, which aids in jumping and gaining footholds in the steep terrain. Horn size is a symbol of rank in the herd. However, many rams rub off the ends of their horns (called “brooming”) because they interfere with their vision. This ram was hiding out in the Aztec sandstone cliffs of southern Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park, just west of Fire Canyon Wash. December 31, 2010