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The Dall's Sheep |
| Kingdom: |
Animalia |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla (the even-toed ungulates) |
| Family: | Bovidae (the cattle family) |
| Genus: | Ovis (Latin for "sheep") |
| Species: | Ovis dalli (W.H. Dall was an American naturalist) |
| Why it is way cool! | This is a species with many names.
The Dall's Sheep is also sometimes officially referred to as the "Thinhorn Sheep", a name that contrasts it with the more common Bighorn Sheep of the North American west. The Dall's Sheep is also sometimes called the "White Sheep" since it's coat is usually pale gray or pure white. There is, however, a variant (sometimes categorized as a subspecies) in which the coat is dark gray or black. In that case, it is also commonly called the "Stone's Sheep". This species is found in the mountainous regions of sub-arctic North America, particularly Alaska and British Columbia. |
