Skeleton of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni). Mohawk Canyon, Grand Canyon NP, Arizona, USA.

A skeleton of a desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) rests in Mohawk Canyon, at Colorado River Mile 171.9 on Day 13 of 16 days rafting through Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. 31 years after I last rafted the Grand Canyon in 1990, I noticed lots more (dozens of) native bighorn sheep in 2021, a healthy sign for this fascinating ecosystem, which is gradually recovering since nonnative wild burros were removed in the 1960s. Since Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, floods no longer scour the vegetation or deposit as much sand on the diminishing beaches (which affects rafters). Aggressive nonnative species such as tamarisk trees continue to threaten native riparian biodiversity.

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Filename: 2103SW-B1177.jpg
Copyright: © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
Image Size: 5472x3648 / 8.4MB; http://www.photoseek.com/; Animalia Mammalia PhotoBest animal desert mammals nature vertebrate wildlife
Contained in galleries: USA: Arizona favorites, 2021 Apr 3-18: rafting Grand Canyon, AZ, Highlights 2021, USA: Southwest favorites (Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada), Arizona: Grand Canyon National Park

A skeleton of a desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) rests in Mohawk Canyon, at Colorado River Mile 171.9 on Day 13 of 16 days rafting through Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. 31 years after I last rafted the Grand Canyon in 1990, I noticed lots more (dozens of) native bighorn sheep in 2021, a healthy sign for this fascinating ecosystem, which is gradually recovering since nonnative wild burros were removed in the 1960s. Since Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, floods no longer scour the vegetation or deposit as much sand on the diminishing beaches (which affects rafters). Aggressive nonnative species such as tamarisk trees continue to threaten native riparian biodiversity.