July 2026
- Bighorn Institute
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Waterhole Count
On July 8th and 9th the Institute, along with our team of amazing volunteers, successfully conducted our annual waterhole count in the northern Santa Rosa Mountains (NSRM) near Rancho Mirage. The weather was nice and hot with highs around 109˚, which was perfect for making thirsty sheep. Bighorn sheep can go up to three days in over 100° temperatures without drinking water, which is why we do the count in the heat of summer over multiple days. We saw a total of 65 sheep, including 18 lambs over the two days we spent on water sources. Overall, we had a solid count and the numbers coincide with our current estimate of 140 adult bighorn in the NSRM. Thanks to our hearty volunteers who helped make this year’s count possible!
Lambing Season Ends
Lambing season has “officially” ended this year for Peninsular bighorn sheep as it typically extends from January through June. That said, there’s always a chance of an “outlier” lamb birth so we stay on the lookout for new lambs throughout the year. This year’s lambing season was a good one and many of the lambs are still alive, which is positive. That said, summer isn’t over and there are certainly some sick lambs in the range, especially those that use the urban areas, so we’ll see how they fare and remain cautiously optimistic that lamb recruitment (survival) will be better this year than last.
The Rut Is On
The rut, or breeding season, is in full swing and we’ve seen rams actively pursuing ewes all month. The rut for Peninsular bighorn sheep typically extends from July through November here in the desert. Rams can lose up to 25% of their body weight traveling miles searching for ewes to breed, sometimes even crossing ranges. We are eager to observe the rams more regularly now that the rut is on since it helps us to see how the population is doing.
Trail Cameras
One of the most popular and valuable wildlife monitoring tools today is the trail camera. They come in various abilities from basic battery operation and manual retrieval of camera cards to solar powered satellite operation that send photos and videos directly to your phone with a cell subscription. We’ve been using them for years and they have produced incredibly valuable information from documenting nonfunctional collared or ear tagged-only sheep we weren’t sure were still alive or had crossed ranges to new lambs born to unmarked ewes we hadn’t yet observed. They also let us know how the predator population looks and what other wildlife is using the drinkers that the sheep use. Here are photos of a ram and a ewe that have nonfunctional collars so we can no longer track them. Seeing them on camera knowing they're alive and healthy is helpful information as we monitor the endangered Peninsular bighorn.
Wine Down Wednesday September 16th
Join us for a Wine Down Wednesday FUNdraiser September 16th from 5:00 – 7:00pm at Shadow Mountain Golf Club in Palm Desert to support the sheep! Hosted by The Fanatic 102.9, KOOL 95.9 and Q102.3 Classic Rock this fun mixer features wine tasting and appetizers for just $20 (cash only)! We’ll also have a raffle with great prizes so hope to see you there! All proceeds benefit the bighorn!
Upcoming Fundraisers, Save the Dates:
November 15-16, 2026 – Annual Party and Golf Classic at Stone Eagle Golf Club
January 9, 2027 – Wine Cellar Dinner at Thunderbird Country Club for 20
February 19, 2027 – Private Dinner for 16 at Stone Eagle Golf Club
March 20, 2027 – Private Dinner for 16 at Stone Eagle Golf Club