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Approximately two hundred Peninsular bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) live in the Lake Mead territory that covers the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and part of Arizona. The Lake Mead Area staff cautions visitors to remember the sheep are not tame, and they (the sheep, that is) butt heads at 50 mph with 2400 pounds of force and can and have butted people who get too close. These sheep, slightly smaller than the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, are endangered, Why are these sheep endangered? The answer is simple, they are endangered because of disease, predation, habitat loss, and because of us humans disturbing them. They were Listed as a federally endangered species on March 18, 1998 and their habitat ranges (in the United States) from Palm Springs, California south right down to the U.S./Mexico international border. The Peninsular bighorn sheep are exposed to many dangers due to urban-mountain development including automobile collisions, poisonous plants, high predator densities, and parasites. They have been listed under the California State Endangered Species Act since 1971, but their numbers continued to decline; and some people are trying to live with them in tune with nature, while others too recklessly either consider them a nuisance or do not watch carefully enough for them when driving and doing other human activities. Endangered species status does, however, provide greater habitat protection, because under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can require modification of development projects if they threaten the Peninsular bighorn sheep. You will hear many people say the sheep are becoming too tame, and this is hurting the the sheep; and what they are saying is quite true. So never feed one of these sheep, because it might harm them; and in the very least, it will make them less wild and therefore less self-protected. It is okay to look, but don’t get too close; and it is never, never okay to touch a wild animal. not even these lovely sheep. Enjoy the photography of John D. Weigand and the poetry of Penelope Dyan as they take a trek to see these beautiful, majestic, Peninsular bighorn sheep; and listen as they tell their tale. These sheep are not alone on the endangered species list, but they still need to move off from this list and become one of our comeback kids!
