Andy WARHOL - Bighorn Ram TP (FS II.302)

A powerful image, mounted against a solid blue background, ‘Endangered Species: Bighorn Ram,’ shows off the namesake of the Bighorn Mountain Range in northern Wyoming. The Bighorn sheep originally crossed into North America over the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia, sparking the population in North America to peak in the millions, and thus the Bighorn sheep entered into the mythology of Native Americas. However, by 1900 the population had crashed to several thousand. Through an increased program of reintroductions, national parks, and reduced hunting, together with a decrease in domesticated sheep near the end of World War II, the Bighorn sheep was able to make a comeback. The animal continues to be an iconic image for many Native populations, and is know the official mascot for the Arizona Boy Scouts.