The bighorn, or bighorn sheep, is a wild sheep with a silky coat similar to that of a deer. Despite its bulk, the bighorn can negotiate mountainous terrain. It is aided by its sharp cloven hooves, which have elastic pads. The ram carries a set of curving horns about 18 inches (45 cm) in circumference at their base and up to four feet (120 cm) long. The female's horns are smaller. Bighorns are characterized by their short ears and large horns. They eat grasses, flowers, young plants, and even cacti. Once plentiful from the mountains of southern Canada to northern Mexico, the population to bighorns today is found only in remote mountain areas and national parks in the United States.