Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep originated in Siberia crossing the Bering land bridge connecting Siberia to North America. They were once numbered in their millions but by 1900 they had diminished to several thousand in population.

Big Horn Sheep, Jack Barrie by Oregon Department of Transportation - CC BY 2.0

 Three distinct species of bighorn sheep

Genetic testing in recent times has identified three distinct species of bighorn sheep in Siberia and North America. They are Ovis Canadensis, Ovis dalli, and Ovis nivicola, or the Siberian Snow sheep. Of these there are several subspecies which include the Rocky Mountains bighorn sheep and the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep.  Read more