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Protect the Wild
Preserving the legacy of the desert bighorn through science, stewardship, and care.
Keeping the Spirit of the Bighorn Alive
At Bighorn Institute, we’ve spent over 40 years protecting the desert’s most iconic survivor — the Peninsular bighorn. Through research, education, and hands-on recovery, we’ve helped restore herds that were once near extinction and released more than 120 bighorn back into the wild. From Palm Springs to La Quinta, we continue to monitor, study, and safeguard these magnificent animals — because the wild deserves a guardian.
The Bighorn Bulletin
Welcome to The Bighorn Bulletin — your window into the wild. Each month, we share stories from the field, conservation updates, and the latest research protecting the endangered Peninsular bighorn. Join us as we document our ongoing mission to keep the desert’s most iconic survivor thriving among the mountains it calls home.
Recent Posts
FEATURED SECTIONS
WILD SHEEP OF NORTH AMERICA
The wild sheep of North America are divided into two species, which are known as thinhorn sheep and bighorn sheep. Both species belong to the family Bovidae and genus Ovis. The thinhorn sheep of Alaska and Canada (Ovis dalli) are divided into two subspecies or races: Dall's sheep(Ovis dalli dalli) and Stone's sheep (Ovis dalli stonei). Thinhorn sheep inhabit Alaska, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. Dall's sheep number approximately 100,000 and Stone's sheep number about 18,500.
La Quinta Urban Issues
When bighorn sheep began using La Quinta golf courses as a year-round food and water source, the consequences were deadly—disease spread, loss of natural behavior, and dozens of preventable deaths. This page reveals how urban habituation quietly threatened an iconic desert species and why experts warned action was urgent. Learn how science, advocacy, and exclusion fencing—championed by Bighorn Institute—are helping restore balance and protect bighorn sheep in La Quinta.
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