A bighorn ram exhibits the flehmen response while searching for ewes to mate with during the rut win wyoming, usa, while another younger ram looks on.

Bighorn Sheep Rams and Ewe during the Rut

Wyoming, USA

During the rut, a bighorn ram will contort its head and neck into twisted positions, exhibiting what’s called the flehmen response. Also called the flehmen position, flehmen reaction, flehming, or flehmening, it is a behavior in which an animal curls back its upper lip exposing its front teeth, inhaling with the nostrils usually closed and often holding this position for a few seconds. He is testing the air for pheromones produced by the female. He directs these to an olfactory organ in the roof of his mouth.

In this way he can sense whether the female is ready to mate. Once locked in, the ram will then follow her closely, waiting for just the right time. Here, a younger ram looks on, yielding to the older, dominant Ram.

Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.

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