wild mountain sheep - the progenitor of domestic sheep.These artiodactyls very close to mountain goats, as well as tours and musk oxen.They are divided into seven main types and many subtypes, and sometimes they are so different from each other that it is difficult to assume that they - the relatives, and the blue and barbary sheep generally are more like goats.Firstly, there is a large variation in size.The smallest representatives bovids - a mouflon: Crimean and Cypriot types with small, slightly curved horns, reach all the withers 65-75 cm in height and have a mass of 25-40 kg.The largest members of the species - argali: Altai argali and Pamir argali have a height of 120-125 cm at the withers and weight - 220 kg.Horn have strong, wrapped in a tight spiral.Between mouflon and Pamir argali have transient subspecies: urialy (East Baray), bighorn sheep and tonkorogie.
is believed that the wild sheep were domesticated 11,000 years ago in Asia and 7000 years ago in Europe.Most likely, for removal of domestic sheep was taken mouflon.With this powerful animals involves a lot of myths.Let us recall the myth of the Golden Fleece.He is also the hero of one of the constellations of the Zodiac - Aries is.Wild sheep perfectly acclimatized in zoos, and there is no problem bringing offspring.And now, we are breeding work on crossing domestic and wild sheep to improve the quality of livestock.Thus, it was withdrawn arharomerinos, mountain merino, taraskonskaya "race" and other new valuable species.
Unlike domestic sheep, mountain sheep - very smart animal.In addition, it is more slender than its domesticated kinsman, his legs higher.But compared with the mountain goats, wild sheep and losing sharpness, and climbing qualities.When the danger of a herd is not evident in all directions, like wild goats, and bunch up and not trying to climb on the rocks where the pursuers - mostly wolves - can not be reached, and prefers to flee predators than actively and enjoy.
extend these animals only in the Northern Hemisphere.But their natural habitat is incredibly broad.Meets mountain sheep from the islands of the Mediterranean Sea in the west to south-eastern spurs of Tibet and the Great Khingan in the east.In the Americas, the even-toed ungulates are found from Canada to Mexico.Herds of wild sheep can be seen even in the semi-deserts.In the summer they get off in two large herds: one - females with young, and the second is a "singles club".In the fall, most often in November, the male approaches the female throng and spend ritual fights, running up and hitting their heads.Shot Power monstrous, but these animals are very dense bones of the skull, and no such struggle does not end even a concussion.
Mountain sheep, unlike domestic sheep has cryptic coloring, the same for both sexes.But females are much smaller than males on body size and antler.Pets are nomadic.Migrations are vertical in nature: winter artiodactyls descend in the summer looking for the alpine meadows near the peaks.By the winter flocks are sealed to one hundred and even thousands of heads to protect themselves from predators.Usually preside experienced individuals - a ram or sheep.Special patrol these herbivores there - who was the first to notice the danger signals to all the flock.To each other, they are calm, the mother of the young males did not pursue, but also mutual aid within the herd is also not observed.
mountain sheep eats mainly grass, preferring cereals.But winter is very unpretentious in food: eating moss, lichen, twigs of shrubs and trees.Regularly visit watering sheep and spare no effort to reach solonetz and salt lick.By the beginning of the winter accumulated a large supply of fat.Lambs are born in March and June.For the delivery leaves the sheep herd, and a week back with one or two lambs.A month later, the lamb is already nibbling grass, but before six months old his main diet - mother's milk.Lamb become sexually mature at two years, whitecaps - three.In the first year the lambs are very vulnerable: their enemies are not just wolves, cougars and leopards, and eagles, golden eagles and coyotes.
