Cultures and Religions of the Himalayan Region

Lucinda Kanczuzewski
Kettering High School, Detroit, MI
Endangered Species in the Himalayan Region

Mammals

Birds

Reptiles

Amphibians

Maps

ARGALI SHEEP

In the Himalaya, there are two species of sheep, one of which is the large argali. This species "is classified into several races, based on minor differences in horn shape and coat color; only the Marco Polo sheep, a type of argali, is well-known. (p. 4, George Schaller, Stones of Silence. New York, 1979.)

The argali sheep is widely prized for its massive spiral horns. It is considered endangered in some areas, and several animal protection groups have initiated lawsuits in American courts because the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service was still issuing permits to trophy hunters as recently as 2001. If that agency were to designate the argali as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act, its horns could not be imported to the United States.

The argali are light tan to a gray-brown, with white hairs interspersed depending on the exact species and the age of the sheep. The face and belly of the sheep are much lighter than the rest of the body. Adult males have enormous horns that can reach a length of 6.5 feet. Females also have horns, but they rarely exceed 1 foot in length.

The sheep can weigh from 150 pounds to 400 pounds. They are between 3 to 4 feet tall, with a body length of 4 to 6 ½ feet. The tail is generally less than 6 inches in length.

The gestation period for the argali is approximately 5 months, after which time the female gives birth to one to two lambs. When the female is about to give birth, she separates from the herd and finds a secluded, inaccessible location. Several days after the birth of the lambs, the mother will rejoin the herd comprised of mothers and lambs. Herds are segregated by sex except when the animals breed.

Argali are swift, so they escape from predators by fleeing to steep mountain slopes. They live at elevations of 4,200 to 19,500 feet throughout central Asia. Their diet consists of grasses, herbs, and small brush. Their main predators are the wolf and the snow leopard.

Prized by game hunters for its spiral horns, the argali sheep is nevertheless threatened more seriously by the competition of domestic sheep for food.

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LINKS

Sheep characteristics