Colorado living: State symbols & emblems, part 5
This 5th segment of Colorado’s official symbols and emblems looks at the official state animal: the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep; the official state bird: the lark bunting; and the official state domestic pet: cats and dogs that are adopted from Colorado rescues and animal shelters.
In 1961, the Colorado General Assembly adopted the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep as the official state animal. Bighorns are native to Colorado and are usually found above the timberline in steep, high mountain areas.
They are the largest wild sheep in North America; a large ram can weigh more than 300 pounds. Bighorn sheep are about five to six feet long and stand about three feet high at the shoulder, with the ewes being slightly smaller than the rams. They prefer open terrain near rocky refuges that allow them an escape from predators. They often rest on inaccessible cliffs.
Bighorns are named for their massive horns, which are coiled on mature rams and can make up as much as 10% of their body weight. The horns on ewes are spike-like rather than coiled.
Adopted in 1931 as the official state bird, the lark bunting is a migrant bird. The birds live on Colorado’s eastern plains and in areas of up to 8,000 feet in elevation from roughly April to September.
Males are black with white wing patches and edging to some wing and tail feathers. In the winter, the males more closely resemble the females, which are striped brown and gray. Lark buntings belong to the sparrow family. They eat insects, seeds and fruits, and nest on the ground, laying light blue eggs.
Designated in 2013, the state’s official pets are dogs and cats of any breed that are adopted from Colorado animal shelters and rescues. Rather than having a specific breed as the official pet, Colorado chose this route, which allows anyone to have an official state pet with the intent for shelter pets to find forever homes. Shelters and rescues throughout the state are licensed and inspected through the Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA). The program ensures the pets in those facilities receive proper treatment and live in environments that meet their needs. To find licensed PACFA rescues and shelters from which to adopt, visit ag.colorado.gov and search “PACFA facilities.”
For more information about the official symbols, visit archives.colorado.gov/collections/symbols-emblems. To learn more about the wildlife, visit cpw.state.co.us and search for the animal in which you are interested.
By Susan Helton; courtesy photos
