Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis

Silhouette: Scott Hartman · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Bahía de Loreto National Park

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%

33 Verified sightings at Bahía de Loreto National Park From 2019 to 2026
8,295 In all 13 parks
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Bighorn Sheep

The bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) or bighorn is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns may weigh up to 14 kg (30 lb); the sheep typically weigh up to 143 kg (315 lb). Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: O. c. sierrae.

Sheep originally crossed to North America over the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia; the population in North America peaked in the millions, and the bighorn sheep entered into the mythology of Native Americans. By 1900, the population had crashed to several thousand due to diseases introduced through European livestock and overhunting.

Ovis canadensis is one of two species of mountain sheep in North America; the other species being O. dalli, the Dall sheep. Wild sheep crossed the Bering land bridge from Siberia into Alaska during the Pleistocene (about 750,000 years ago); subsequently, they spread through western North America as far south as Baja California and northwestern mainland Mexico. Divergence from their closest Asian ancestor (snow sheep) occurred about 600,000 years ago. In North America, wild sheep diverged... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~90%
2 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~80%
3 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~80%
4 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~70%
5 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~70%
6 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~60%
7 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~50%
8 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~40%
9 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
10 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
11 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
12 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
13 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 San Diego Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
2 Denver Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
3 Zoo Pilsen 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
4 Parc Omega 🇨🇦 Canada In captivity
5 Northwest Trek Wildlife Park 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
6 Zoo sauvage Saint-Félicien 🇨🇦 Canada In captivity
7 San Diego Zoo Safari Park 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
8 Living Desert Zoo and Gardens 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
9 Ecological Center of Sonora 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
10 Shubenacadie Wildlife Park 🇨🇦 Canada In captivity
11 Los Angeles Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
12 Bearizona 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
13 Phoenix Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
14 Greater Vancouver Zoo 🇨🇦 Canada In captivity
15 Bear Country USA 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
16 Zoológico de San Juan de Aragón 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
17 Burgers' Ocean 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
18 Royal Burgers' Zoo 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
19 Calgary Zoo 🇨🇦 Canada In captivity
20 Zoológico la pastroa 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
21 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
22 Chapultepec Zoo 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
23 British Columbia Wildlife Park 🇨🇦 Canada In captivity
24 Kanazawa Zoo 🇯🇵 Japan In captivity
25 Buffalo Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
26 Reid Park Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
27 Elmwood Park Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
28 Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
29 OdySea Aquarium 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
30 Selig Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
31 Universal City Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity

Closest Relatives at Bahía de Loreto National Park

No species of the same family or order lives in Bahía de Loreto National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Bighorn Sheep in Bahía de Loreto National Park?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Bighorn Sheep sighting in Bahía de Loreto National Park on a given day, based on 33 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 13 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Bighorn Sheep in Bahía de Loreto National Park?

August

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Bighorn Sheep in Bahía de Loreto National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November and December, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Bighorn Sheep?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bighorn Sheep sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Where does the Bighorn Sheep sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Bighorn Sheep is recorded against all the mammals logged in Bahía de Loreto National Park (33 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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