April 2026

Spring Fling a Success!

Held April 10^th at Lost Creek Canyon Ranch, Bighorn Institute’s Spring Fling was an outdoor delight!  Featuring beautiful views and a country-themed event space, guests enjoyed a delicious BBQ lunch, live and silent auctions and got an update on the state of the sheep.  After the party, they had their choice of checking out various parts of the ranch, walking some of the property and seeing the animals. The weather was perfect and overall, it was a great day!  Thank you to all of our sponsors, donors, and guests for making this an event to remember! A very special thank you to Mike and Linda Rivkin for hosting and underwriting the event!

*Click here for Spring Fling event video made by Bishop

Bighorn at PGA West Finally Out

We’re thrilled to report that most of the remaining bighorn sheep that have been stuck at PGA West since last July have been successfully herded out, thanks to the efforts of the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  There may be a few stragglers, but most of them are out.  A number of the ewes using the golf course had lambs this year so we’re glad they are out of this urban area where people illegally feed the sheep and many sheep have drowned in the canal there.  The wildlife agencies will continue to work to get the last few sheep out and hopefully, they stay out of PGA West moving forward.

More Lambs

Lambing season continues to go strong and we documented more lambs again this month.  They range from about 1 to 3 ½ months of age and are growing quickly.  The older ones are already showing horn growth, which start out gray and turn a golden color after a couple of years.  They don’t shed their horns; they grow their entire lives.  Most of their horn growth happens in the first couple of years then they continue to lengthen and thicken each year.  We can generally age lambs by the amount of horn growth they have; however, this growth is directly related to the environmental conditions and available forage when they’re lambs.  Times of drought can often mean smaller lambs with less horn growth.  Each year is different and it’s amazing to see that no matter what, these hardy animals remain incredibly well adapted to dwell in our desert.

*An ~5mo old lamb with gray horns

Earth Day Celebration

Bighorn Institute participated in the Earth Day celebration on April 22^nd held at the Rancho Mirage Library and it was a good opportunity to educate people about the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep.   We had a booth and gave a short talk about the sheep as part of the program.  The event had a great turnout with lots of families taking advantage of this free event focused on sustainability and conservation. We appreciate the City of Rancho Mirage including us.  It’s important to teach kids early to be stewards of the land and appreciate the desert, a special place we get to call home.

*Aimee, Jim and Marcie man the BI booth!

Seeing Sheep?

If you enjoy hiking in the Coachella Valley you might get lucky and see bighorn sheep from one of the trails. If you do, please let us know! You can log your sheep sightings for free on iNaturalist through the app or their website. Your sightings help us keep track of the sheep since most of them are unmarked.  For more information on how to get involved and become a citizen scientist, visit our website: www.BighornInstitute.org/citizen-science

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Need a special gift for your mother?  Here are a few ideas that may please your mother and help support the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep! 

1. Give a gift membership to the Institute – memberships start at just $25/year, are tax-deductible & they can join our member hikes!

2. Adopt a Bighorn – $100 for a lamb, $150 for a ewe or ram: www.bighorninstitute.org/adopt-a-bighorn

3. Feed the captive herd for a week - $150 (donation only-not actual feeding)

4. Help track radio-collared bighorn for a month - $500 (donation only – BI does the monitoring)

To donate, please visit our website www.BighornInstitute.org, email (bi@bighorninstitute.org) or call us at 760-346-7334.

Save the Date: Fall Fundraiser

Bighorn Institute’s Annual Party and Golf Classic will take place Sunday and Monday, November 15-16, 2026, at Stone Eagle so mark your calendar and plan to join us!