The
bighorn sheep (
Ovis canadensis) is a species of
sheep native to
North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . 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. Conservation efforts (in part by the
Boy Scouts) have restored the population.