Overview
These sheep are much smaller than other forms of blue sheep with very small horns. A drab coloration. The summer coat is a dull brownish-gray, with the head, neck, dorsal area, tail tip, and front of legs darker. Underparts, inside of legs, and inside of ears are whitish, and there is a light ring around the eyes. The winter coat is bright silver-gray, with the colors more pronounced, and there is a black stripe separating flanks from belly. The horns are much smaller than in other blue sheep. Females have very small, straight horns.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Psuedois
Habitat
Prefers open, grassy areas, avoiding brush and forest. Feeds mostly on grasses. Distribution- A limited distribution in the upper Jinsha Jiang (Yangtze River) gorge near Leh and Drupalong and south of Batang in western Sichuan and southeastern Tibet. They are usually found at elevations of 8,500-10,500 feet (2,600-3,200 m), and are cut off from the blue sheep populations of the upper grassy altitudes of the same region by a thick, scrubby forest 3-4 miles (5-6 km) across and covering 1,500 feet (450 m) of elevation.
Diet
Primarily grazes but will browse when necessary.
Behavior
This animal is active mainly at dawn and lives in small groups.
Hunting
It is said that July is the best time to hunt these animals, because then the grass is better at lower elevations (8,200 feet, 2,500 m) and the blue sheep descend to feed on it.
Conservation Status
Listed as Endangered by IUCN. In the late 1980's it was reported that the population was increasing, with a high percentage of young animals. More information is needed.