Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World

Feature:
Irreplaceable Wildlife in A Warming World
Graphic of irreplacable species, emperor penguin.
We are connected to each other, to our environment. From faraway places to our own backyard. But climate change is now changing the Earth as we know it, and animals and plants from the Arctic to the Everglades are feeling the consequences.
Key Resources:

Desert Bighorn Sheep

Standing like a sentinel in the high deserts of the West, desert bighorn sheep are an impressive sight to behold. True to their name, the horns of adult males can weigh up to 30 pounds!
Photo Credit:
Galen Rowell/Mountain Light Photography / ILCP (Part of Irreplaceable Wildlife Photo Exhibit)
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Desert Bighorn Sheep

Scientific Name: 
Ovis canadensis
IUCN Red List: 
Conservation Dependent
Endangered Species Act List: 
Lower Risk: Conservation Dependent

Standing like a sentinel in the high deserts of the West, desert bighorn sheep are an impressive sight to behold. True to their name, the horns of adult males can weigh up to 30 pounds! Desert bighorn have adapted to life in the desert in many ways, from using their horns to break up cactus for food to being able to go for weeks or months without visiting a water hole. In fact, these sheep are so hardy, they can lose up to 30 percent of their body weight and still survive! Once found throughout the arid West, desert bighorn populations declined drastically with the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century.

Climate Change Impacts

Although desert bighorn sheep can go for long periods of time without water, a much warmer and drier climate may be beyond what these hardy animals can tolerate. Rainfall is projected to decrease in the western deserts as result of climate change, which could lead to more population extinctions from lack of freshwater springs and edible vegetation.

Irreplaceable in Your Neighborhood

The Earthjustice traveling photo exhibit, Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World, is available to bring education, scholarship and research to your community. For more information on booking the exhibit, including fees, exhibit specifications, requirements and descriptions, please contact Nadine de Coteau at 1-800-584-6460.