One of the Coachella Valley’s bighorn sheep ventured out of the mountains and dodged traffic on Tuesday – and all just to have a stare down with a dude working outside The Cliffhouse.
https://twitter.com/RSO/status/585573462699339776
La Quinta Police officers were called to the intersection of Highway 111 and Washington Street after reports of a bighorn running into traffic lanes.
Dan Talant told The Desert Sun that he saw the bigborn sheep trotting around the Cliffhouse parking lot (even bighorn sheep have heard about their amazing happy hour). The rest of the story via The Desert Sun:
Dan Talant was working outside the Cliffhouse when the ram “trotted” into the parking lot at about 10:30 a.m., he said. They stared at each other for several minutes.
“He was very chill. He wasn’t startled or anything,” said Talant.
Authorities were eventually able to lead the “chill” bighorn sheep across the road and back into the southern mountain range where it was a little bit safer area for him to chillax.
Wayward bighorn sheep rescued from Highway 111 and Washington St near #LaQuinta pic.twitter.com/vAdCC58Trl
— Julie Sone (@ABC7JulieSone) April 7, 2015
The Press Release from the Riverside County Sheriff:
On April 7th, 2015, at approximately 11:49 a.m., La Quinta Police Officers were called to the area of Washington Street, and Hwy 111, about reports of a bighorn sheep running into traffic lanes. Several officers from La Quinta Police joined with La Quinta Animal Control, a U.S. Park Ranger and the Bighorn Institute to locate and save the sheep.
Arriving officers located the sheep atop the northern Point Happy ridgeline near the Cliffhouse restaurant. Officers were able to direct the sheep across Hwy 111 and back into the southern mountain range. The sheep was not injured and there were no vehicle collisions reported.
