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Dall's Sheep in the NWT
 Dall's
sheep (Ovis dalli
dalli) are one of the most spectacular animals found in
alpine regions. To the Dogrib they are known as Sahzhoa,
in North Slavey they are referred to as Doge, and the Gwich'in know them
as Divii. Posing regally in their white coats against the green and
grey summer alpine habitat, they are a delight to photographers as their
large curled horns complete an impressive picture.
Mountain sheep in North America are classified as either bighorn sheep (Ovis
canadensis) which occur mainly in the Rocky Mountains or thinhorn
sheep (Ovis dalli) which occur farther north. Among thinhorn sheep
there are two subspecies - Dall's sheep ( Ovis dalli dalli)
and
Stone's sheep (Ovis dalli stonei). Dall's
sheep are found in Alaska, the Yukon, the western NWT and extreme
north-western British Columbia. They are pure white with amber-coloured
horns. Stone's sheep are found in the southern Yukon and northern British
Columbia. They are silver grey to black with white patches on the rump,
forehead, muzzle, and hind legs. Grey sheep have been seen occasionally in
the NWT near the Yukon border and these may be intergrades between Dall's
sheep and Stone's sheep.
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