Bighorn Sheep Coloring Sheet

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Learning about Bighorn Sheep Facts is made possible by: The Family Adventure Days at the Creation Museum, Kids Answers Magazine by Answers in Genesis, and the Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference.

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Bighorn Sheep Facts for Kids

Today we’re learning some exciting bighorn sheep facts for kids. These sheep are God’s master mountain climbers!

Have you ever balanced on something, maybe a beam at a playground or a log in the woods?

When I was young, I loved gymnastics. Each week I practiced balancing and doing tricks on a beam. Now that I’m grown, my kids and I still enjoy balancing on logs when we hike in the woods. Balancing can be fun—and did you know there’s an animal God designed to be an amazing balancer?

What Is a Bighorn Sheep?

My first encounter with wild bighorn sheep was unforgettable. We were visiting Colorado, driving up a mountain canyon, when we spotted cars stopped along the road. Looking up, we saw something incredible: bighorn sheep balancing effortlessly on tiny cliff edges—and they even had babies with them!

Bighorn sheep live in rocky mountain regions of western North America. They’re not the fluffy farm sheep you might be picturing; instead, their fleece is short, covered by thicker, brown guard hairs, giving them a color similar to a deer.

Both male and female bighorns have horns, but the males’ horns are much larger, curling around their faces. Males are called rams, and females are called ewes.

Here’s a neat fact about their horns: the outer sheath covering is made from a special material called keratin—the same protein that makes up your hair and nails!

Why Do Bighorn Sheep Ram Each Other?

Have you ever seen two bighorn rams slam into each other? It looks pretty wild—especially in slow motion!

Male bighorn sheep ram each other during a special time called “the rut,” when they’re competing to impress females. The rams rush toward each other at speeds up to 40 miles per hour, smashing their massive horns together. These collisions are incredibly powerful. Amazingly, God designed their horns with a core made from layers of strong bone and a porous “spongy” type of bone that absorb the impact, protecting their brains. Pretty incredible, right?

Why and How Do Bighorn Sheep Balance on Cliffs?

Bighorns don’t just ram—they’re also master climbers. Even though they can weigh over 300 pounds, they easily balance and climb on cliff ledges only two inches wide! God gave bighorn sheep soft, spongy hooves that grip rocks like sneakers grip pavement, helping them navigate steep cliffs safely.

These amazing climbing skills also keep them safe from predators—because not many animals can follow them onto those dangerous ledges!

How Did God Design Bighorns to Thrive Through Rest?

As incredible as climbing cliffs and ramming horns might be, bighorns also need rest—especially baby bighorn sheep. Within hours of being born, baby bighorns can walk, and within days, they can climb cliffs. But even they must follow their mama to find safe, restful places away from danger.

Rest is vital for these creatures to survive and thrive, just like it is for us.

How Can We Follow God’s Lead When the Way Gets Tough?

Life can feel a lot like climbing cliffs sometimes—hard, scary, and uncertain. But just like a baby bighorn follows its mother to safety, we can trust and follow God, even when life gets tough.

It reminds me of Psalm 23:1-2:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green pastures. He leads me to calm water.”