Curled Lip

Stan captured this striking moment during the rut in the Canadian Rockies, when bighorn rams are intensely focused on one thing: breeding. The dramatic curl of the ram’s upper lip may look like a snarl or a challenge, but it’s actually a vital behavior known as the flehmen response.

When a ewe is nearing estrus, she releases chemical signals - pheromones - often detected through scent left on the ground or in urine. By lifting his head and curling his lip, the ram draws those scent molecules into a specialized sensory organ on the roof of his mouth called the vomeronasal (Jacobson’s) organ. This allows him to determine, with remarkable accuracy, whether a ewe is receptive and worth pursuing. This brief, almost statuesque pause is a moment of intense biological calculation rather than aggression.

Stan’s image freezes that split second of instinct and awareness - the ram silhouetted against a stark backdrop. It’s a powerful reminder that beneath the brute strength bighorn sheep are known for lies a finely tuned system of senses, evolved over millennia to ensure survival and continuation of the dominant species.

-Keltie Masters

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