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Cute! Desert Bighorn Sheep Born at L.A. Zoo
Photo by Tad Motoyama/LA Zoo
Although you can see them wandering around locally in the Angeles National Forest, it's not often you would come upon a baby bighorn sheep. Luckily, the L.A. Zoo is a partner in a program ensuring their endangered population's (.pdf) survival and today they announced the birth of a lamb.
“This species is considered threatened across its range,” said Jeff Holland, curator of mammals at the zoo. “Population is declining due to drought, predators, disease from domestic sheep and goats, and an inability to move from one mountain range to another because of over development by humans.”
In their natural environment, bighorn sheep tend to reside in rocky terrain near access to water -- they avoid forested areas.
If you want to see the healthy baby, who was born last week, she's currently on display with her parents in the North American area of the Zoo.