Mountain sheep

Wild mountain sheep is the progenitor of domestic sheep. These artiodactyls are very close to mountain goats, as well as to tours and musk oxen. They are divided into seven main species and many subspecies and sometimes they are so different from each other that it is difficult to assume that they are relatives, and blue and maned sheep generally look more like goats. First, there is a wide spread in the sizes. The smallest representatives of the polorohy are mouflons: Crimean and Cypriot types with small, slightly curved horns, reach only 65-75 cm in height at the withers and have a mass of 25-40 kg. The largest representatives of the species are argali: Altai argali and Pamir argali have a height of 120-125 cm at the withers and a mass of 220 kg. Their horns are powerful, wrapped in a tight spiral. Between mouflons and argali there are transitional subspecies: urials (oriental ram), tolkogi and thin-horned sheep.

It is believed that the wild sheep was domesticated 11 thousand years ago in Asia and 7 thousand years ago in Europe. Most likely, for the breeding of the domestic sheep, the moufflon was taken. There are many myths associated with this powerful animal. Let us recall at least the myth of the golden fleece. He is also the hero of one of the constellations of the zodiac - this is Aries. Wild sheep get along well in zoos and bring offspring without problems. And now breeding work is carried out to cross domestic and wild sheep to improve the quality of livestock. Thus, arharomerinos, mountain merino, Tarascon "race" and other new valuable breeds were removed.

Unlike a domestic sheep, a mountain sheep is a very smart animal. In addition, he is more slender than his domesticated congenital, he has higher legs. But compared to mountain goats, wild sheep lose in savvy, and in alpinist qualities. In danger, the herd does not rush into the wild as a wild goat, but stumbles into the pile and does not attempt to climb the rocks, where the pursuers - mostly wolves - can not reach, but prefers to flee, than predators actively and enjoy.

Distributed these animals only in the Northern Hemisphere. But the range of their habitat is incredibly wide. There is a mountain ram from the islands of the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the South-Eastern spurs of Tibet and the Great Hingan in the east. In the American continent, these artiodactyls occur from Canada to Mexico. Herds of wild sheep can be seen even in semi-deserts. In the summer they get into two large herds: one - females with young, and the second is a "bachelor club". In autumn, most often in November, males come close to a crowd of females and perform ritual battles, running up and banging their foreheads. The power of the strike is monstrous, but these animals have very dense bones of the skull, and no such fight does not end even with a concussion.

Mountain sheep, in contrast to the domestic sheep, has a camouflage coloration, the same for both sexes. But females are much smaller than males in body size and horns. Animals lead a nomadic life. The nomadic species have a vertical character: in winter the cloven-hoofed descend downwards, in the summer they search for alpine meadows near the peaks. By winter, the herds are compacted to a hundred and even a thousand heads to protect themselves from predators. Usually the experienced individuals are the sheep or sheep. There are no special watchdogs for these herbivores - who will be the first to notice the danger, signal the whole herd. They treat each other calmly, they do not pursue young males, but mutual assistance within the herd is also not observed.

The mountain sheep feed mainly on herbs, preferring cereals. But in winter it is extremely unpretentious in food: it eats moss, lichens, branches of bushes and trees. Regular sheep visit watering places and spare no effort to get to the solonetses and lick the salt. By the beginning of winter accumulate a large supply of subcutaneous fat. Lambs are born in March-June. For the birth the sheep leave the herd, and a week later returns with one or two lambs. A month later, the lamb already burns the grass, but up to six months of age its main diet is mother's milk. Sexually mature lambs become in two years, lambs - in three. In the first year of life, lambs are very vulnerable: their enemies are not only wolves, pumas and leopards, but also eagles, golden eagles and coyotes.