It was a number of years ago that Bighorn sheep were returned to the Rio Grande Gorge. They have since established themselves, and are now not at all afraid of humans. We pass them grazing the riverside grass on every Taos Box river trip that we operate (New Wave Rafting Co), and elsewhere. One location they frequent is the dirt road seen in the video included in this post, no doubt for the convenience it provides them in moving around in the gorge.
Two Bighorn rams. Both have tips of their horns broken off, while the horns of the ram on the left shows marks from head-butting. Head-butting occurs in the fall mating season, as males fight to see who will get to breed, and who will not.
The conspicuous white rumps of Bighorn sheep
Bighorn ram, with the ends of his horns splintered
Side-lit in the evening sun
A group of sheep are side-lit by the evening sun
My Youtube video follows:
GREAT STUFF!
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