Unveiling the Truth: The Spiritual Significance of Bighorn Horns for Christians

Bighorn Horns: Not So Big

In recent years, hunters visiting Canada's Ram Mountain in Alberta, known for its large bighorn sheep population, have been increasingly disappointed. These hunters are in search of rams with large horns, which are highly prized as trophy specimens. However, finding rams with large horns has become a challenging task.

Trophy hunting for bighorn sheep is a popular sport, with hunting permits being auctioned for significant sums of money. The decline in horn size at Ram Mountain has made it difficult for hunters to find rams with horns larger than the minimum regulation size. Research conducted over the past three decades has shown that this decline in horn size is an "evolutionary response to sport hunting of bighorn trophy rams." It has been observed that the selective removal of large-horned rams through hunting has reduced the overall genetic fitness of the bighorn sheep population. This decrease in genetic fitness is reflected not only in the decline in horn size but also in the decrease in ram body weight.

While researchers attribute these changes to an "evolutionary response," it is important to note that they have nothing to do with evolution as commonly understood. Evolution, which suggests the gradual accumulation of new genetic information over millions of years, is not evident in this situation. Instead, what has occurred is a loss of genetic information within Ram Mountain's bighorn sheep population. This loss of genetic information is unlikely to be reversed easily.

It is worth drawing a parallel between the situation at Ram Mountain and the decline of the cod fishery off the Canadian coast. Despite the closure of the fishery in 1992 to allow it to recover, cod have failed to return to their former size. Similarly, once the genes for large size are lost within a population, they are unlikely to reappear.

Hunting has also had similar impacts on moose populations, resulting in smaller antlers compared to previous decades. Additionally, selective ivory poaching has led to a significant increase in the frequency of tuskless elephants in African populations.

It is important to note that both artificial and natural selection, as observed in these instances, are not synonymous with evolution. Selection processes can only favor certain genes over others; they cannot generate new genetic information. Instead, selection operates on existing genetic information. This is precisely what has been happening at Ram Mountain.

Why This Matters

The decline in horn size among the bighorn sheep population at Ram Mountain serves as a reminder that changes within a population do not necessarily indicate the occurrence of evolution. The loss of genetic information observed here is contrary to the notion of new genetic information being gained over time through evolutionary processes. Understanding the distinction between selection, which operates on existing genetic information, and evolution, which postulates the gradual accumulation of new genetic information over millions of years, is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of these phenomena.

Think About It

Consider the implications of losing genetic information within a population. What does this tell us about the limits of evolutionary processes? How does this observation align with biblical accounts of creation and the preservation of created kinds?