Overview
These sheep have the heaviest bases of all snow sheep of Asia. The average trophy size is 34-37 inches with the occasional 40-inch ram taken. Color is grayish-brown or grizzled. The white rump patch is rather small and is divided by a dark stripe that continues down the tail. Muzzle is white, but the brown facial band, which so strongly characterizes the Verkhoyansk population to the west, is almost lost. Head and neck may show a varying degree of grayish-white. The horns protrude outward, around and down in almost 1-1/2 curls to perfect, unbroomed tips. Usually darker in color than the other snow sheep and lacking a white forehead patch. Horns on average have heavier bases than the mainland snow sheep which has caused some to call this subspecies the Kamchatka bighorn. This is incorrect because they are still a thinhorn species with horns similar to the Dall or Stone Sheep of North America.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Ovis
- Species
- Snow sheep, nivicola
Habitat
They inhabit the upper forested zone to the limits of vegetation, a maximum altitude of 7,000 feet (2,000 meters). They prefer to winter on Southern slopes. The living conditions are severe in the winter. Temperatures can fall down to −76 °F (−60 °C) with harsh winds and prevalent snowfalls. The combined range of all susbspecies of Snow sheep covers an area almost twice that of the argali's range.
Diet
This animal's diet consists primarily of grasses, but also of lichens, mosses, and willow sprouts.
Behavior
We know relatively little about snow sheep, but their habits are thought to be similar to those of Dall and Stone sheep. Like other pachyceriforms, snow sheep are classed as K-selected species, and have relatively low reproductive rates (one lamb after 170-180 days gestation) and long life spans (12-18 years). Females are believed to be sexually mature at 18 months, with the first lamb born at age two. Unlike other Asian sheep, they rarely have twins. Extremely agile and nimble, and able to move quickly over steep, uneven terrain. Within bachelor herds, a dominance hierarchy is formed based primarily on horn size. These hierarchies remain relatively stable, even in the breeding season, with larger males getting the majority of the mating rights. However, if two males have approximately equal sized horns, the dominant/subordinate relationship is decided in combat. Facing each other from a distance, they run towards each other with heads lowered, rearing up and crashing their horns together in an attempt to throw their rival off balance.
Hunting
The season is August through September. You can also hunt the Kamchatka Brown Bear in the same area around this time. The style of hunting will typically be spot and stalk backpack-style hunts. Being in great physical condition is a necessity for the hunter. A significant advantage is a familiarity with handling a horse. Local horses are easy to handle and well adapted to high altitudes. Travel on horseback enables one to cover longer distances, with less physical pain, in search of the perfect ram. The two longest-horned snow sheep of record are from Kamchatka, one with horns measuring 41.7 and 40.9 inches (105.9 and 103.9 cm), the other with horns of 41.7 and 39.5 inches (105.9 and 100.3 cm). These heads are superb, with the horns pinching close to the face, then sweeping outward, around and down in almost 1-1/2 curls to perfect, unbroomed tips.
Conservation Status
In 2007 the Kamchatka Bureau of Sport Fisheries gave a population estimate of O. n. nivicola at about 7,000 individuals, of which 150 are harvested each year.