Racine Zoo welcomes 3 bighorn sheep; residents of 'Mountain' exhibit
Racine Zoo welcomes 3 bighorn sheep
RACINE, Wis. - The Racine Zoo has announced the arrival of its newest residents, who will occupy the newly renovated Mountain exhibit.
New residents
What we know:
Born in the spring of 2023 at the Hemker Park and Zoo in Freeport, Minnesota, two female Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep arrived at the Racine Zoo on Feb. 23. They were initally held in off-exhibit quarantine.
Helga and Mantis are now outside enjoying their new home.
Zoo officials say Mantis delivered a baby on Tuesday, May 12, and the Racine Zoo needs your help naming it!
Check out their Facebook naming activity and vote for your favorite!
About bighorn sheep
Dig deeper:
As the largest sheep native to North America, bighorn sheep earn their name from the massive, spiraled horns found on the males.
These horns can weigh as much as 30 pounds! While adult males stand about 40 inches tall and can weigh up to 315 pounds, females are notably smaller, generally weighing between 150 and 200 pounds.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Native to the alpine grasslands of Western North America, bighorn sheep were once incredibly abundant, with population estimates reaching as high as 200,000 individuals in the mid-1800s.
Since then, their numbers have declined due to hunting, habitat loss, and the spread of disease from domesticated animals.
Their numbers are now somewhat stable and are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Racine Zoo.