Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Argali

Ovis ammon

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The argali is the largest wild sheep in the world and the wild ancestor of several domestic breeds. The males carry enormous spiral horns that can weigh more than twenty kilos, close to 13% of their body weight. It lives in sex-segregated herds on high mountain grassland in Central Asia, from the Pamirs to Mongolia. Trophy hunting, poaching and above all competition with domestic livestock for grazing have fragmented its populations.

Weight

60 kg – 180 kg

Size

1.2 m – 2 m

Lifespan

13 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

MountainGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal Near Threatened Mountain Grassland Mammal

13countries 8parks86same family

Fun facts

GeneralThe largest wild sheep in the world, at up to 180 kg.
Its horns are the heaviest of any sheep in the world: they can exceed twenty kilos, more than a newborn lamb of the species weighs.
It prefers open ground to cliffs: unlike the ibexes, it flees by running along the slope instead of taking refuge among the rocks, which makes it far more vulnerable to hunters.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Mountain grassland, high steppe and open slopes of Central Asia, between 1,000 and 5,800 metres
Sexual maturity: 13.2 months
Gestation / incubation: 5.6 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovis_ammon