Make sure to call in some backup if you find yourself in a fight with this ram! Watch the clip below that shows a crazed ram beat the life out of a massive punching bag. The video begins by showing a big red punching bag hanging in the woods. After a few seconds, a crazed ram runs into the frame, slamming into the punching bag at full speed. After it hits the bag, it takes a few moments to collect itself. For the next few minutes, the ram continues with this pattern, repeatedly hitting the bag at full speed. Near the end of the video, the ram can rip the bag off its hanger, causing it to fall to the ground with a big thud! The scene ends with the ram standing over the punching bag on the ground, pleased with its victory.
What Are Ram Horns For?
Ram horns are like a Swiss army knife. They are used for many purposes, such as self-defense and mating. Most ram horns are incredibly tough, and usually sharp near the ends. This makes them exceptionally great tools for defending themselves.
As shown in the video, when a ram is cornered, it tends to rush at its attacker with its head down. This type of defense allows them to protect their internal organs while also holding their horns out to deal the most damage!
In addition to defense, rams display a unique characteristic known as intrasexual selection. This mechanism acts when individuals of the same sex compete within a species to find mates. For rams, single men engage in intense fights with their horns. In most cases, the male who comes out on top is sure to catch the eye of the nearest female.
Interestingly, there is a huge diversity in the shape and size of horns across species in the animal kingdom. Many ecologists have hypothesized on this observation, with most agreeing that horns developed both in response to female sexual selection and preferred fighting styles among males.
Do All Sheep Have Horns?
The presence of horns in dependent on the species. In most cases, if females have horns, they will be smaller than those found on males!
©iStock.com/Gary Gray
As discussed earlier, horns are commonly seen in male sheep, otherwise known as rams. For the most part, horns are used for fighting for mates during the breeding season, which is why males typically have pronounced horns that grow as they age!
In reality, there are many sheep species where horns can be found on the males (rams) and the females (ewes). Some species lack horns altogether, and some species only exhibit horns within male individuals.
The photo featured at the top of this post is © twildlife/iStock via Getty Images
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