Winter Ecology of Bighorn Sheep in Yellowstone National Park
Oldemeyer JL, Barmore WJ, Gilbert DL. 1971. Winter Ecology of Bighorn Sheep in Yellowstone National Park. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 35(2):257-269
Bighorn sheep(Ovis c. canadensis)were intensively studied on the northern Yellowstone winter range during the winter of 1965-66, with additional data gathered the following two winters. Censuses showed a stable or slowly increasing population of about 250 animals. Grass and browse utilization was moderately high. During the winter of 1965-66, bighorns ate 61 percent grass, 17 percent forbs, and 22 percent browse. Bluebunch wheatgrass was the most common species in the diet. Snow cover was light that winter, and competition with elk was slight to moderate.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Oldemeyer, John; Barmore, William; Gilbert, Douglas
- Units
- GRTE , YELL
- Keywords
- Animal Behavior, Animal Studies, bighorn sheep(Ovis canadensis), Browsing, Distribution, Ecology, Feeding, Food, Mammals, Monitoring, Plant Studies, Population, Population Dynamics, Range, Research & Studies, Ungulates, Winter