Bighorn Sheep in Joshua Tree National Park
| Date/Time: | Sunday, October 18, 9 am - 5 pm |
| Meet at: | Oasis Visitor Center |
| Fee: | $60 ($50 JTNPA/PINE members) |
| Instructor: | Michael Vamstad, M. S., Ecology |
| Wildlife Biologist, Joshua Tree National Park | |
| Hike Level: | Easy to Moderate |
Desert bighorn sheep are the largest native animal in the desert southwest. Michael Vamstad, Joshua Tree National Park Wildlife Ecologist, will discuss the bighorn basics such as physical characteristics, distribution, behavior, predator relationships, and disease during this one-day field class. Participants will also learn about how the park’s current preservation efforts for bighorn sheep correspond with the unique physiological characteristics of these animals and the park’s management plan to preserve this majestic animal as a part of California’s natural heritage. During the field session, the class will hike into bighorn habitat and learn the key elements important for bighorn sheep survival: the plants they eat, the importance of water, and the trade-offs of wildlife-human interaction. If lucky, the class may see some sheep!
Photograph courtesy of NPS Archives
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