A golden eagle and desert bighorn sheep were caught on camera squaring up in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada captured by one of the motion sensor trail cameras of the US Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS).
The picture in the Twitter post of USFWS shows the golden eagle spreading its wings and opening its mouth in front of a guzzler while the bighorn sheep is standing in front of the bird staring down at it during their confrontation in the Mojave Desert.
Golden Eagle Caught in Defensive Pose for the First Time
Golden eagles were previously filmed swiping their prey and even killing bighorn sheep before. However, the newly released photo featured in Newsweek showed a reverse role between the prey and predator as the golden eagle seems to be in a defensive pose against the bighorn sheep staring down at it.
This tense face-off between two western wildlife - a golden eagle & desert bighorn sheep - was caught on trail cam at Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada. The refuge provides the largest intact habitat for desert bighorn sheep in the Mojave Desert. 📷USFWS pic.twitter.com/cF6fLNsSaI
— U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (@USFWS) July 25, 2022
The golden eagle is clearly in a defensive mode as it has its wings and mouth open. The caption on the USFWS Twitter post says that golden eagles prey on bighorn sheep lambs, and encounters between an adult bighorn sheep and golden eagle, as seen in the photo, are less frequent.
These eagles are not facing a major threat to their populations currently despite the fact that 70% of golden eagle deaths are due to human activities that are either deliberate or a side effect of their actions. The deliberate harm to them and their eggs or nests was outlawed in 1962 under the US Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
Meanwhile, the US National Park Service said that bighorn sheep are found in the desert mountain ranges of the country as they have learned to adapt to life in the desert and survive body temperature fluctuations, unlike most mammals. Desert bighorn sheep can even survive for months between drinks of water.
But unlike the golden eagle, the desert bighorn sheep is facing extinction due to human activities. Since the 1960s, their population has dropped from tens of thousands to only between 6,700 to 8,100 today.
Trail cameras that captured the image are dotted throughout the Mojave Desert, a refuge area for many animals like the bighorn sheep, revealing unique and previously unseen interactions between wildlife.
Golden Eagle: Hunting, Behavior, Population
According to National Geographic, the golden eagle is the largest bird of prey in North America and the national bird of Mexico. These eagles are extremely swift and can dive at high speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.
They use their sharp talons to snatch up their prey, such as rabbits, marmots, ground squirrels, carrion, reptiles, birds, fish, and some large insects. Golden eagles are also known to attack full-grown deer and many ranchers have been reported killing these birds for fear that they will also prey on their livestock.
These birds are very territorial, wherein their territories could be up to 60 square miles, which might explain the defensive pose of the golden eagle in the photo of USFWS. More so, these eagles are monogamous and remain with their mate for several years or the rest of their lives. They put their nests in high places, such as cliffs, trees, and even telephone poles.
Golden eagles can be found in Mexico, western North America, and northern Alaska. There are also golden eagles in Asia, northern Africa, and Europe. Some of them migrate, but others do not.
RELATED ARTICLE: Dead Bald Eagle With Talons Clutching Decomposing Deer's Head Found, Experts Baffled What Caused Their Death
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