Quick Answer
Dall sheep in Alaska primarily feed on grasses, forbs, and shrubs, with their diet varying according to the season. During the summer months, they eat a diverse range of plants, including grasses, clover, and willows. In the winter, they rely on stored fat reserves and feed on lichens, mosses, and other low-growing vegetation.
Summer Diet
During the summer, Dall sheep in Alaska can eat up to 3% of their body weight in dry matter per day. This can include a wide variety of grasses, such as blue grama, buffalo grass, and switchgrass, as well as forbs like clover, vetch, and plantain. They also eat shrubs, including willows, alders, and birches. In areas with limited forage, Dall sheep may concentrate in meadows and valleys where they can find the most nutritious plants.
Winter Diet
In the winter, Dall sheep rely on stored fat reserves to sustain them until they can access new vegetation in the spring. They feed on lichens, mosses, and other low-growing vegetation, including shrubs and trees that are still alive but not actively growing. They also eat the bark and twigs of trees, particularly willows and alders, which are rich in nutrients. In areas with deep snowpack, Dall sheep may use their keen sense of smell to locate areas with exposed vegetation or cached food.
Foraging Techniques
Dall sheep are highly mobile and will travel long distances to find the best forage. They use a variety of techniques to locate and exploit food sources, including following other sheep, using their sense of smell, and actively searching for new areas with abundant vegetation. In areas with limited forage, Dall sheep may concentrate in meadows and valleys where they can find the most nutritious plants, or they may use their agility and sure-footedness to access steep slopes and rocky outcrops where other animals cannot go.
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