Overview
The winter coat is chestnut-brown on the back, grayish-brown on the sides, with the underparts, rump and inside of legs white. A dark streak extends down the front of the legs. The head is brown, the muzzle white. Rams have a long, white ruff that almost surrounds the neck. The horns are heavy and tightly curled, with little or no flare. The upper surfaces have narrow wrinkles and the frontal edges are rounded. Relatively long legs.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Ovis
- Species
- Argali, ammon
Habitat
Argali inhabit higher elevations. Habitat varies according to geographic location, but includes mountains, steppe valleys and rocky outcrops and open desert.
Diet
Argali eat 35-42 lbs (16–19 kg) of food a day. The vegetation preferred by the species varies based on elevation and area. In higher elevations, they predominantly eat grasses, sedges, and forbs. At midelevation habitats, they more regularly feed on bushes and mesophyte grasses. In the lowest ranges and the spurs of deserts, grasses and sedges again predominate, but often of different species than the high-elevation ones. Water is needed by argali, which is rarely a problem for animals living at high elevation, where melting snow and small waterways are regularly encountered. In drier climes, argali may travel several kilometers in search of water. When available, argali readily consume saline soil.
Behavior
Argali live in herds typically numbering up to 150 animals, segregated by sex, except during the breeding season. Some rams are solitary, but most are seen in small herds numbering between up to 30 individuals. Females and their young live in larger groups, regularly up to 90 individuals and sometimes up to 200 animals. Migrating herds, especially those made up of males, have been reported. Most migration appears to be related to seasonally decreased food sources, an overabundance of biting insects (especially gadflies), severe drought or fires, poaching by humans, and competition with domestic livestock. With their long legs, these animals can travel quickly from place to place. Argali tend to live at higher elevations during the summer. These sheep are calm and gregarious with one another. They are fast runners.
Hunting
The Gansu argali may not be imported into the U.S., even though it is known to be plentiful and may be hunted legally (Appendix 1 of CITES). The season is usually around March - mid April and September- mid December.
Conservation Status
Threats to future health of the argali herd includes livestock grazing, hard rock minting, oil development, and development of dam and aqueduct systems in the region. With appropriate measures,the hunting area has high potential to become a model for self-funded conservation areas within China.