Details
Ovis ammon
Argali is one of the largest wild sheep, native to high mountain grasslands of Central Asia. Trophy hunting, competition with livestock, and habitat fragmentation are important conservation issues.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits alpine grasslands, dry mountains, and rocky slopes with open feeding areas. Main habitat types in this guide are mountain, grassland, desert.
Typical length 136-200 cm, weight 43 kg-180 kg. Males carry massive curled horns and move with a robust body built for mountains.
It is diurnal and a herd-forming species. Herds retreat to slopes and ridges when disturbed.
It is herbivorous. Grasses, sedges, and shrub leaves are grazed or browsed, with seasonal shifts in elevation.
Males clash horns during the rut, and females usually bear single lambs.
Declines or fragmentation make monitoring important. Trophy hunting, competition with livestock, and habitat fragmentation are important conservation issues.
