The argali ( Ovis ammon ) is the largest species of wild sheep, native to the highlands of Central Asia. The word "argali" is Mongolian for "ram." There are eight different argali subspecies. Mature rams of the larger subspecies can stand approximately 49 inches (125 cm) high at the shoulder and weigh over 300 pounds (140 kg), while rams in smaller desert populations are only about 35 inches (90 cm) high and weigh less than 180 pounds (80 kg). Both sexes have horns, but they are especially long in rams. Marco Polo first described the Pamir argali, also known as the Marco Polo sheep, in the 13th century. The horns of Marco Polo sheep can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) long.

Where do argali live in the wild?

Argali, the largest wild sheep, live in the highlands of Central Asia, from Uzbekistan to southern Siberia, and from Mongolia and northern China to the Tibetan Plateau and the mountains of northern India and Pakistan. They are adapted to great cold, aridity, and very high elevations, and they occupy some of the most extreme habitats among wild sheep. In the more humid western mountains, argali graze on high grasslands. They are considered a near-threatened species due to uncontrolled hunting and habitat loss from livestock herding.

What do argali look like?

The argali ( Ovis ammon ) is the largest species of wild sheep in Central Asia. There are eight argali subspecies. A mature ram from a large-bodied subspecies can stand 125 cm (49 inches) at the shoulder and weigh over 140 kg (300 pounds), while rams in smaller desert populations are about 90 cm (35 inches) high and weigh less than 80 kg (180 pounds). Though both sexes have horns, rams have especially long ones; those of the Marco Polo sheep may reach 1.8 meters (6 feet) in length. Argalis are known as long-legged runners with excellent vision. They are highly gregarious, and, except during mating season, adult rams and ewes live in separate herds.

How do argali survive in their mountain habitats?

The argali, the largest wild sheep, thrives in the extreme environments of Central Asia's highlands through several adaptations. They are long-legged runners with keen eyesight, enabling them to escape predators via speedy flight. Argali are adapted to endure great cold, aridity, and high elevations, as well as sudden rain and snowfalls. Females and young argali can climb cliffs and steep ridges, while males often stay on productive lowland meadows, trading safety for food. In the more humid western mountains, argali graze on high grasslands.

What do argali eat, and how do they find food?

Argalis, the largest wild sheep, are herbivores that graze on high grasslands. They are adapted to live in cold, arid, high-elevation environments. Like other animals, argali use chemoreception to locate food. They are attracted to potential food sources from a distance by a wide variety of odors. Taste determines acceptability once they are close to the food.

Why are argali considered a threatened species?

Argali are considered a near threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources . They face threats from uncontrolled hunting and poaching, as well as habitat loss due to livestock herding and other human activities. Although national governments within their range offer varying degrees of protection, and some countries permit limited trophy hunting, these measures may not be sufficient to fully safeguard argali populations.

argali

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argali

mammal

Also known as: Ovis ammon

Written by

Valerius Geist

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Britannica Editors

History

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What is an argali?
The argali (Ovis ammon) is the largest species of wild sheep, native to the highlands of Central Asia. The word "argali" is Mongolian for "ram." There are eight different argali subspecies. Mature rams of the larger subspecies can stand approximately 49 inches (125 cm) high at the shoulder and weigh over 300 pounds (140 kg), while rams in smaller desert populations are only about 35 inches (90 cm) high and weigh less than 180 pounds (80 kg).

Both sexes have horns, but they are especially long in rams. Marco Polo first described the Pamir argali, also known as the Marco Polo sheep, in the 13th century. The horns of Marco Polo sheep can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) long.
1 Britannica Source
1. argali
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Where do argali live in the wild?
Argali, the largest wild sheep, live in the highlands of Central Asia, from Uzbekistan to southern Siberia, and from Mongolia and northern China to the Tibetan Plateau and the mountains of northern India and Pakistan. They are adapted to great cold, aridity, and very high elevations, and they occupy some of the most extreme habitats among wild sheep. In the more humid western mountains, argali graze on high grasslands.

They are considered a near-threatened species due to uncontrolled hunting and habitat loss from livestock herding.
2 Britannica Sources
1. argali
2. Kunlun Mountains: Plant and animal life
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What do argali look like?
The argali (Ovis ammon) is the largest species of wild sheep in Central Asia. There are eight argali subspecies. A mature ram from a large-bodied subspecies can stand 125 cm (49 inches) at the shoulder and weigh over 140 kg (300 pounds), while rams in smaller desert populations are about 90 cm (35 inches) high and weigh less than 80 kg (180 pounds). Though both sexes have horns, rams have especially long ones; those of the Marco Polo sheep may reach 1.8 meters (6 feet) in length.

Argalis are known as long-legged runners with excellent vision. They are highly gregarious, and, except during mating season, adult rams and ewes live in separate herds.
2 Britannica Sources
1. argali
2. Kunlun Mountains: Plant and animal life
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do argali survive in their mountain habitats?
The argali, the largest wild sheep, thrives in the extreme environments of Central Asia's highlands through several adaptations. They are long-legged runners with keen eyesight, enabling them to escape predators via speedy flight.

Argali are adapted to endure great cold, aridity, and high elevations, as well as sudden rain and snowfalls. Females and young argali can climb cliffs and steep ridges, while males often stay on productive lowland meadows, trading safety for food. In the more humid western mountains, argali graze on high grasslands.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What do argali eat, and how do they find food?
Argalis, the largest wild sheep, are herbivores that graze on high grasslands. They are adapted to live in cold, arid, high-elevation environments.

Like other animals, argali use chemoreception to locate food. They are attracted to potential food sources from a distance by a wide variety of odors. Taste determines acceptability once they are close to the food.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why are argali considered a threatened species?
Argali are considered a near threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. They face threats from uncontrolled hunting and poaching, as well as habitat loss due to livestock herding and other human activities. Although national governments within their range offer varying degrees of protection, and some countries permit limited trophy hunting, these measures may not be sufficient to fully safeguard argali populations.
2 Britannica Sources
1. argali
2. Pamirs: Animal life
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

argali, (Ovis ammon), the largest living wild sheep, native to the highlands of Central Asia. Argali is a Mongolian word for “ram.” There are eight subspecies of argali. Mature rams of large-bodied subspecies stand 125 cm (49 inches) high at the shoulder and weigh more than 140 kg (300 pounds). Rams in small-bodied desert populations stand only about 90 cm (35 inches) high at the shoulder and weigh less than 80 kg (180 pounds). Horns are present in both sexes but are especially long in rams. Females weigh about one-third less than males.

The Pamir argali is also known as the Marco Polo sheep; the Italian traveler Marco Polo, who crossed the Pamir highlands in the 13th century, was the first Westerner to describe the argali. Horns in Marco Polo sheep may reach up to 1.8 metres (6 feet) in length. The horns of the larger Siberian argali are somewhat shorter but much more massive.

The ram’s nuptial coat grows in just before the rutting season in November and December and, in most subspecies, features conspicuous neck ruffs and rump patches. Nuptial coats differ between subspecies in the presence or length of the neck hair, the length of the tail, the size and shape of the rump patch, and the colour of the pelage. The nuptial coat changes with the ram’s age; summer and winter coats also differ greatly.

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The argalis are long-legged runners that escape predators primarily by speedy flight. They have superlative vision. Females and young climb cliffs and steep ridges more than large males, which, trading off food against security, are found on productive lowland meadows. Males suffer high predation mortality and have an average life expectancy of only seven to eight years.

Like all sheep, argalis are highly gregarious; adult rams and ewes live in separate herds except during the brief mating season. Argalis are adapted to great cold, aridity, and very high elevations, as well as sudden rain and snowfalls. They occupy the most extreme habitats among wild sheep.

Males herd small harems during the mating season. Otherwise their social behaviour is more similar to American bighorn sheep than to their closest, but more primitive, relatives, the urials of southwestern Asia. Depending on food resources, one or two young are born after a 160-day gestation period. Juvenile mortality tends to be high.

Argalis are found from Uzbekistan in the west to southern Siberia in the east and from Mongolia and northern China in the north to the Tibetan Plateau and the mountains of northern India and Pakistan in the south. Argalis are considered a near threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Argalis are threatened by uncontrolled killing and poaching, and they are also losing habitat to livestock herding and other activities. National governments throughout their range provide varying levels of protection for argalis, and some countries (such as Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) provide permits for limited trophy hunting.

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