| Desert bighorn sheep | |
|---|---|
| |
| In Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Caprinae |
| Tribe: | Caprini |
| Genus: | Ovis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | O. c. nelsoni
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Ovis canadensis nelsoni Merriam, 1897
| |
The desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) is a subspecies of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) that is native to the deserts of the United States' intermountain west and southwestern regions, as well as northwestern Mexico. The Bureau of Land Management considered the subspecies "sensitive" to extinction.[2]
The trinomial of this species commemorates the American naturalist Edward William Nelson (1855–1934). The characteristics and behavior of the desert bighorn sheep generally follow those of other bighorn sheep, except for adaptation to the lack of water in the desert. They can go for extended periods of time without drinking water.
The desert bighorn sheep is the state mammal of Nevada.[3] It is also the mascot of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.
- ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0. Ovis canadensis nelsoni". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
- ^ "Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni)" (PDF). Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. California Energy Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-09-27.
- ^ "Nevada Facts and State Emblems". Nevada State Legislature. Retrieved 2021-09-10.