August 2025

New Lambs

August is usually an exciting time to see the rams come out of the backcountry and join the ewes for the rut and we’ve been watching them and their wild antics as they pursue the ewes.  However, we’ve also been enjoying a couple of new lambs this month - two new lambs in two different ranges.  Lambing season is typically from January through June for Peninsular bighorn sheep, but there can and have been outliers like this.  There’s never a bad time to watch young lambs and their playfulness and it sure helps beat the August heat and humidity.

Crossed Again

In March, we told you about a collared ewe that resides in the northern Santa Rosa Mountains (NSRM) near Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, but has crossed ranges to the San Jacinto Mountains of Palm Springs at least three separate times in 2022, 2024 and March 2025.  She came back to the NSRM by the end of March, but in early August, crossed back to the SJM.  It’s so interesting because we saw her with a group of sheep one day and she appeared content browsing and bedding down, but by the next week she was in the mountains of Palm Springs with other sheep.  How and when she decides to make her move is a mystery, but this is the first time we’ve seen her cross twice in the same year so she’s keeping us on our toes while expanding her range. 

Fall Fundraiser Sponsors Needed!

Our 2025 Annual Party and Golf Classic fall fundraiser is November 16^th and 17^th and we need sponsors!  It takes a village, as they say and we could sure use a few generous “villagers” to help us with the costs to put on this fabulous event.  There are several sponsorship options available including our classic Platinum, Gold and Silver Sponsorships for $5,000, $2,500 or $1,000.  Platinum Sponsors receive 2 playing spots in the golf tournament and 4 Annual Party tickets.  Gold Sponsors receive 1 playing spot and 2 Annual Party tickets and Silver Sponsors receive 2 Annual Party tickets.  We would love to get sponsors for invitations, photography, gift bags and golf trophies.  These sponsorships range from $1,000 -$2,500 and benefits vary, but include either Annual Party tickets or tickets and a golf spot.  Sponsorships are tax-deductible and include notoriety in all event materials!  If you’d like to be a sponsor, please email us at bi@bighorninstitute.org and let us know how you would like to help.  Thank you, in advance, for your incredible generosity!

Desert Discovery Day

We’ve been asked to participate in the Desert Discover Day in the high desert and are excited to join this FREE, family event with a booth about the bighorn!   Hosted by Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park Association, the event will be held on Saturday, October 4^th from 10:00am-1:00pm in the Freedom Plaza Gym at 6547 29 Palms Highway in Twentynine Palms. There will be games, crafts, ambassador animals, prizes, storytelling, s’mores and more! Click on the photo for more information and to get free tickets.

click photo for more information

Rain

It’s been another drought year, but we finally saw some rain in late August after many dry months.  We had thunderstorms over a few days that produced less than a half inch of rain, but some is better than none.  It’s amazing the difference a little rain can make in the desert.  We’ll soon have some green-up, which will be great for the sheep.

Adopt-a-Bighorn

Need a unique gift for someone or just want to support the sheep? You can Adopt-a-Bighorn! Lambs are $100, ewes and rams are $150 each. Adoptions include a certificate, a 4x6 color photograph of your endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep, a bighorn sheep fact sheet, a year’s subscription to our e-newsletter, and a year’s membership with the Institute. All adoptions are 100% tax-deductible!  Visit our website to adopt-a-bighorn: https://www.bighorninstitute.org/adopt-a-bighorn