19th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Say Cheese

A large group of bighorn sheep rams demonstrating the flehmen response. This is a behavior seen during the rut for many mammals in response to scents left by the females. The animal typically curls back the upper lip and bares their teeth to draw the pheromones in to the olfactory sense organ located above the roof of the mouth.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2021
Photo Location: Gardiner, Montana, United States of America
Camera: NIKON D850
Copyright: © Lea Frye