From a rocky outcrop in the forest surrounding Penticton, members of the UBC Okanagan Wildlife Society gaze across a valley onto a steep sun-drenched slope, as government wildlife biologist Craig McLean details what he has spotted.
“If you look at that hillside you’ve got that big open rock face. At the top of it there’s a group of fir trees. There’s about eight trees in a group on the ridge and if you follow that to the right on the ground, she’s facing downhill and away from us and the sun is on her back.”
McLean effortlessly locates the bighorn sheep that from a distance looks just like the rocks she traverses. With McLean’s direction, the students here to help count the sheep, slowly make out the ewe’s camouflaged figure.
“There’s a pretty good chance she’s waiting to lamb out,” says McLean, as he looks through the spotting scope. He explains that at this time of year most of the ewes, the female bighorn sheep, have separated from their herds to find safe spots to give birth or — “lamb out.”
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Image via University of British Columbia.