By: Kate and Bamby the Bighorn I’m King of the Mountain. ein-BighornSheep_jpg.jpg

I dedicate this book to my family for supporting me and never putting me down. family Who are these guys? family n_bighorn_sheep.jpg

Name: Bamby Bighorn Address: Pikes Peak Lane Age: 2 years, 5 months, and 4 days Coloring: Creamy Brown and White Activity: Climbing steep Mountains and big hills/ ice skating in the winter Favorite food: Leafs, herbs, non poison berries, and grass. Favorite colors: blue, green,and brown © 2008 Kate Welch Publishing

Are you able to imagine climbing a steep mountain without any ropes, water, harnesses, and many other climbing materials? Well, the bighorn sheep can climb the rugged Rocky Mountains with only their feet, fur, eyes and ears. Bighorn sheep can accomplish many hard tasks because of their amazing appearance, adaptations, life styles, the way they take care of their babies and even their senses. I love climbing but it’s so HOT!!! out here!!!

These astounding creature’s description contains their colossal horns, interesting coats, and the sound of their voice. These fearless animal’s horns curl around its head, making it difficult to see. Therefore, they try to rub their horns on a rock or big tree stump to make them smaller. Their horns weigh up to 30 pounds and get bigger every year. Female bighorns have smaller horns which stop growing once they are full grown. These sensational mammal’s wool traps body warmed air to there skin. Underneath their creamy brown and white coats, hide guard hairs which shed water and snow. The bighorn sheep’s voices are very similar to cows. The female bighorn’s voice is often used to call her young when there is danger near. The lambs bleat when they play, and the males snort to let others know that they are ready to fight otherwise, the males seldom talk to each other. I’ll never tell your secret.

This strange beast’s adaptations include their skate like feet, and their fuzzy hide. On the edge of their nimble feet, the hooves are hard and sharp. Their split hooves hold on to rocks as the climb the tough Rocky Mountains. They have two small claws on the back of there foot that act like brakes, and their foot is filled with a spongy material to provide traction. Their coats shed and the color lightens as the winter passes. To get rid of the extra strains of hair from their old coat, they have to rub themselves against big rocks and trees in the spring. By the end of the summer their coats start to thicken again. Are you ever going to come?

The bighorns way of life is very appealing and differs from that of many other animals. Fighting happens a lot with the males over a “ewe”, female bighorn, or to be the leader of the pack. The rams circle each other about 10 yards away. Then they charge at each other with their heads down. Once their foreheads smash together, it sends ripples through their bodies. This happens repeatedly before one has had enough. In the spring and summer the rams and ewes form separate groups from bighorns. The ewes lie in the grass all day and graze, while the lambs play. The ram’s packs are often called bachelor club. The bachelor club’s leaders often have the biggest horns. If another bighorn wants to be the leader of the group, they will challenge him to a duel. The winner will stay or become the leader of the pack. In the mid fall the bighorns travel 25 miles or more to lower parts of the mountain to keep warm in the winter. Every year they use the same route, traveling in straight lines with the leader in the front. If a bighorn tries to pass the leader, the leader will stick his horns out so the other sheep doesn’t pass him. This is going to hurt! This is going to leave a mark! stickshots.smugmug.com/photos/ _BvM9g-M.jpg

The bighorn sheep’s babies learn fast and have very remarkable traits. The babies are usually born in a cave on a cliff in the winter. One and sometimes two are born. The mother will lick her baby until he or she is clean. At only 16 inches tall, these babies can walk in a matter of hours and run and jump in a few days. The lambs have little buds where their horns will be. When the bighorn sheep and the baby arrive back to their pack, all the females crowd them. The mother bighorn doesn’t care for other babies. She walks with her lambs back to the place where they were living before. The babies nurse from their mothers and then start to eat grass in the late spring and summer. Mommy! BighornSheep_2.jpg

The bighorn sheep’s senses helps them climb, hear, see in the heavy snow, and save food. The bighorn sheep’s eyes are large, yellow and amber. They can see someone or something 5 miles away, and can smell almost as good as they can see. The bighorns eating habits are not very usual. The bighorn sheep swallow their food whole and it goes into a special stomach storage. While it is resting they bring their food back up into their mouth, chew it, and finally digest it. This is called chewing cud. Cows do the same thing. As one can see, Bighorn sheep can accomplish many tasks with their amazing traits. Wow Bighorn sheep can do so many things I wonder if any animal is as talented as the bighorn sheep. Jump For Joy!!!

Ivy, Bill. Big Horn Sheep. Dan Bury, CT: Grolier, I hope I Don’t fall. My feet hurt. When’s bed time?