The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is Colorado’s state animal due to its strength, location, and symbolization of a prosperous state. They are known for their head-to-head fighting and large horns, and were once endangered.
Colorado’s state animal is the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. It was given this designation in 1961. The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep was chosen as the state animal of Colorado because it is found in the wild in the Rocky Mountain region of North America, including Colorado, and symbolizes a strong and prosperous state.
Choosing this particular animal as Colorado’s state animal recognizes its strength and will to survive. These sheep are notorious for their head-to-head fighting between males for the affections of female sheep. The competition tested can sometimes last more than 24 hours between the same two rams.
The goal of these competitions is for the strongest ram to claim power and control over the others. The rams will charge each other at speeds in excess of 20 miles (32.2 km) per hour, and the crackle of collisions can be heard from far away. The ram that shows the most power is the ram that cannot be knocked down from the fight and is still standing at the end. The tougher ram is usually rewarded for its strength and agility by gaining the female and the respect of the rest of the herd.
Another reason the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep was chosen as the state animal of Colorado is its location. These sheep are mostly found in the Rocky Mountains and other upland regions of western North America. They were once more prevalent, but by the early 1900s they had been culled into the wild from states like Washington, Oregon, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. There were 75,000 fewer than 2011 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in the wild and it was considered an endangered species.
These sheep were given their name primarily due to their extremely large horns. The horns are so heavy that they can weigh up to 30 pounds (13.6 kg), which is about 10 percent of the sheep’s weight. Its curved horns can be up to 30 inches (76.2 cm) long. Sheep can reach a height of about 42 inches (106.7 cm), which means that the length of their horns is more than two-thirds the animal’s height.
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