5 Types of Bison in New Mexico
5 types of bison have a verified observation record in New Mexico. The most frequently recorded are Bighorn Sheep, Gemsbok and Aoudad. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
Quick Answer
5 types of bison have a verified observation record in New Mexico. The most frequently recorded are Bighorn Sheep, Gemsbok and Aoudad. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
More Pages
More bison pages for New Mexico
Jump back to the main page for this route cluster.
Verified species, source iNaturalist
5 types of bison recorded in New Mexico
5 bison species have a verified observation record in New Mexico, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
| # | Species | Scientific name | Verified records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bighorn Sheep | Ovis canadensis | 789 |
| 2 | Gemsbok | Oryx gazella | 312 |
| 3 | Aoudad | Ammotragus lervia | 252 |
| 4 | Domestic Cattle | Bos taurus | 66 |
| 5 | American Bison | Bison bison | 48 |
Plus 3 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.
Gear and field guides
Best next picks
Top New Mexico Bison Gifts
The Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) is the most commonly recorded, with 789 verified observations — about 54% of all bison reported in New Mexico. If you spot a bison here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.
New Mexico also hosts less common bison such as Domestic Cattle and American Bison, each recorded fewer than 100 times. These are the species worth a second look when you are out, since a sighting is more notable.