Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Mouflon

Ovis orientalis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is widely regarded as the wild ancestor of every domestic sheep breed in the world, a domestication that began between 7,000 and 11,000 years ago.

Weight

35 kg – 50 kg

Size

1.1 m – 1.5 m

Lifespan

11 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestMountainHerbivore Diurnal In herds Temperate forest Mountain Mammal

8countries 6parks86same family

Fun facts

It is regarded as the wild ancestor of every domestic sheep breed in the world.
Its domestication began between 7,000 and 11,000 years ago in south-western Asia.
Young males have to win social dominance before they can breed successfully.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Mountains and temperate woodland of Asia Minor and the Caucasus; widely introduced across Europe
Birth weight: ~2.4 kg
Size at birth: Precocial, able to follow its mother soon after birth
Sexual maturity: Female: 1.5 years | Male: 2.5-4 years (though he rarely breeds until he gains social dominance)
Gestation / incubation: ~150 days (4 months and 26 days)
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 2 young per birth
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 22.8-23 years in captivity

Sources consulted: World Species; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); AnimalSpot; PubMed (reproductive seasonality study); Animalia.bio; AnimalHub; World Life Expectancy