One kind of "animal-climbers", that is, living in the mountains are mountain sheep.These agile and graceful artiodactyls are close relatives of mountain goats, as well as among their relatives include musk oxen and packaging.All of them belong to the family of bovids, sheep themselves as biologists, there are seven different species.
interesting that the term "mountain sheep" is used as all 7 kinds of animals, and to designate one of them - argali.How do they differ from our usual domesticated sheep and rams?To begin with, of course, the length of the limbs.Against the background of short-legged squat domestic sheep mountain sheep look slim and lightfoot, but if you compare them with the nearest brothers - mountain goats, the sheep leg length lose them uniquely.Furthermore, unlike the home, the mountain sheep have significant advantage in size.The smallest representative of these animals - mouflon.In the withers it reaches only sixty-five centimeters.And the largest - argali - a mountain sheep, reaching a height of 120 centimeters and a weight of up to two hundred kilograms.Another difference from the brothers - mountain goats and domestic sheep wild sheep do not have a beard or fat tail-suspension.
But the greatest wealth of this animal - its horns.Mountain ram with twisted horns - a symbol of fire and the sun.It represents an animal zodiac sign Aries.And his horns are really outstanding.All seven species of mountain sheep have massive horns that curl into a spiral.At the same time the hair on the body of these animals are quite homely - from grayish to brown.This natural mimicry.With this painting is easy to hide from predators, merged with the mountain landscape.Painting and males and the females the same, and to distinguish them can only sizes: mountain sheep are often smaller and lighter than males.It is found
mountain sheep, as is evident from their names, in the mountainous terrain, and only in the northern hemisphere.Main their habitats - Altai, Tien Shan, Tibet and the Caucasus, where these species are presented in all their diversity.But in the European part of the continent can be found only mouflon - they are found in the Crimea, the Alps, the mountains of Spain and Turkey.In Africa, it found only one species - maned sheep, which can be found in the Atlas Mountains in Tunisia or Morocco.
And most importantly, the differences between mountain sheep - their ingenuity.Unlike sheep, which go about the stupidity sayings and legends, their mountain cousins - animals cautious and have a very fast reaction.They are not inclined to help the members of his flock, but always watching their behavior, so that in case of danger immediately get away from the meeting with the enemy the most incomprehensible way.And in this mountain sheep really succeeded - they are natural climbers and can jump over rocks in length up to five meters and height - to conquer the two-meter mark.Outdo them in climbing can only relatives - mountain goats.
