The annual bighorn sheep rut in the Canadian Rockies is marked by the loud crack of of rams engaging in fierce headbutt battles for dominance and mating rights. Adult rams typically weigh between 200-350 lbs and the force of their headbutts has been roughly estimated to the equivalence of an sledgehammer blow.
These clashes are a critical part of their social structure and several physical adaptations have allowed them to engage in such intense battles without sustaining severe head trauma. These adaptations include exceptionally thick skulls, horns connected directly to the skull that dissipate the force of the impact, small hinges in the skull that flex during impacts and extremely muscular necks.
Despite being well-equipped for these type of skirmish, its hard to not wince watching these majestic animals going to battle like this pair filmed who are evenly matched and repeated wind up and deliver their full force through their foreheads.
The sound of bighorn sheep cracking heads can be heard miles away as they exert a force over 800 pounds of pressure in a fraction of a second. It is simply remarkable that they are able to withstand such incredible force. If you are ever in Canada’s National Parks during the bighorn sheep rut make sure to give them ample room and perhaps bring earplugs. Learn more about Parks Canada wildlife safety below:
PARKS CANADA WILDLIFE GUIDELINES:
Stay in your vehicle
- Slow down, and always obey speed limits
- Use your hazard lights to alert others
- Pull over only where it is safe to do so
- Do not stop in driving lanes
- Observe, take photographs, and move on
- Move on immediately if a traffic jam develops
Human food and garbage kill wildlife
- Do not feed wildlife
- Do not litter
- Put garbage in its proper place
- Do not burn unwanted food or garbage
- Never leave food unattended
- Properly store all food and scented items
Give wildlife space
- Do not approach wildlife
- All wild animals are unpredictable
- All wildlife is potentially dangerous
- Animals are wild even if they appear tame
- Keep pets on leash
- Stay 30m (3 bus lengths) away from elk, deer, and moose
- Stay 100m (10 bus lengths) away from bears and other carnivores