Hearing the sound of hoofbeats on a snowy rooftop in December usually brings to mind reindeer and holiday cheer. But for one family in Boulder County, Colorado, the surprise waiting above their home was far from Santa’s sleigh.
When they stepped outside to investigate, they discovered the unlikely culprit: a full-grown bighorn sheep perched right on their roof.
“It’s not something you see every day,” Kara, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), told The Dodo. “[These animals] are native to Colorado, but they’re not really something you see on people’s roofs a lot.”
Wildlife officials explained that the ram’s strange choice of perch likely had to do with mating season, when males often display unpredictable — and sometimes downright odd — behavior.
“Male sheep — rams — act weird,” Kara said with a laugh. “They’ll often do strange things when trying to find a mate.”
Unfortunately for this ram, there were no ewes waiting on the rooftop. Still, he seemed content with the high vantage point and stayed put even after CPW officers arrived.
After several hours, the sheep clambered down from the roof onto the family’s upper deck — only to find himself stuck again. Unsure how to continue, he lingered there until officers made a small cutout in the deck railing to give him a clear path down.
Eventually, the ram hopped off and wandered back toward the wild. Trail cameras set up around the home even caught him pausing dramatically before leaving, almost as if he were posing for one last photo op.
Some trail cameras were set up around the perimeter of the home to capture his departure.
As if his rooftop antics didn’t leave enough of an impression, the ram then decided to pause and mug for the camera on his way out.
Officials reported that the ram looked perfectly healthy and was expected to be just fine back on solid ground.
As for the family, they didn’t get an early visit from Santa after all. But in the end, they received something just as welcome.
“They just wanted their house back,” Kara said.
