Bighorn Sheep

Conservation and Management Plan Update

The public comment period for the Draft Conservation and Management Plan for Bighorn Sheep in California (PDF)(opens in new tab) ended on October 21, 2024. The Plan is now being revised and will be published by the end of the year.

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetartiodactyla
Suborder: Ruminantia
Family: Bovidae
Subfamily: Caprinae
Scientific Name (Genus species): Ovis canadensis

Size

Length: 5 feet
Height: 2 ½ – 3 ¼ feet (at shoulders)
Weight: Adult Male (Ram) 120 – 220 pounds; Adult Female (Ewe) 100 – 155 pounds

Life Span

Rams 10 – 13 years maximum; Ewes 12 – 20 years maximum