Snow sheep: habitat and fitness traits, what it eats

Some experts do not define the bighorn sheep as a special species, but consider it a subspecies of the bighorn, but, according to others, it is a separate species of artiodactyls, part of the sheep genus. It lives in Eastern Siberia, is one of the most common animals that is not threatened with extermination or significant reduction in numbers due to human activities or climate change.

Appearance and characteristics

The snow sheep is an animal of medium size, with a dense, strong physique, a small, rather "dry" head with short ears, located on a short and thick neck.The horns of males are large, wide at the base, twisted in a steep spiral with ends directed outward. Females have shorter, smaller, non-spiral horns.

Animals have short, massive limbs. Males differ in weight from 56 to 150 kilograms, height from 76 to 112 centimeters when measured at the withers. Females are smaller - from 33 to 68 kilograms, 76-100 centimeters tall.

The largest snow chibouks live in Chukotka and Kamchatka.

Types of bighorn sheep

The following types of bighorn sheep are distinguished, which also often have bighorn or shank:

Okhotsk.
Koryak.
Putoransky.
Kolyma.
Kamchatsky.
Yakut.
Apple.
Kodarsky (who lives in isolation on the Kodar plateau of the Olekminsky Highlands).

This classification refers to the distribution of artiodactyl species on the ground, since they do not have a single habitat - the places where these animals are found are located in a mosaic. This means that separate groups formed and developed in different places with slightly different conditions, and therefore formed various subspecies. However, the differences are not so significant that they have significant differences.

Area and habitats

Snow sheep are considered mountain animals, but they do not live directly on mountain peaks, but stay within the vegetation zone, that is, they do not rise above 1300 meters. The main habitat is mountain tundra and foothills with a relatively mild climate and snow cover up to 30-40 centimeters. The southern border of the range runs along the Aldan highlands, in the west - along the mountains beyond Vitim. The northern and eastern borders practically coincide with the coast of Chukotka, the Bering Strait and the Kamchatka Peninsula.The snow sheep lives in mountainous areas along the largest East Siberian rivers, on the Putorana Plateau.

Individuals belonging to the Putoran variety belong to the Red Book animals. Hunting them is prohibited.

Modern numbers, movement

At the moment, the total number of snowy bighorns of all varieties ranges from 40 to 100 thousand individuals. It is difficult to give an exact figure due to the dispersion of individual herds in vast hard-to-reach territories and the complexities of the relief and climate.

Snow animals do not roam long distances, although they constantly move within their range in search of food. Despite their physique and short legs, bighorn sheep run excellently, however, they do not differ in high speed.They easily jump and move over rough terrain. In the cold, they have to travel considerable distances, as this is associated with the search for food. Beneath the layer of snow, they have to gather the sparse vegetation of the tundra, so they have to go through much more than in summer, when there is a lot of fresh grass and leaves.

The main fitness traits of bighorn sheep are their "camouflage" coloration. The wool of animals has various shades of brown, gray and black, which makes them hardly noticeable against the background of rocks or bare tundra. However, snow-covered surfaces instantly reveal their location to predators, so we can only speak of relative fitness.

The shape of the shank is suitable for driving on mountainous terrain, rocks, to overcome slopes, uneven areas, cliffs. They can jump up to 3 meters and are hardy and adaptable to modest pastures and low temperatures.

What do they eat?

To survive in harsh environments, snowy bighorns need a rich, nutritious diet. That is why the body of these animals is adapted to absorb not only tender fresh grass, but also coarser dry shoots, old vegetation, branches, foliage, moss, bark of shrubs and trees that they can reach.

In autumn, the bighorn sheep successfully feeds on berries and mushrooms, not disdaining old, overripe and wormy ones. Eaten larvae and bugs refuse an excellent protein "feed" in severe hungry times.

Natural enemies

In nature, the main danger for bighorn sheep is their habitat with unpredictable weather changes, fogs, snowstorms, extreme cold, winds and humidity. Also, animals can get into dangerous situations by falling off rocks, falling into rivers or bogging down in swamps. A lot of trouble delivers midge, which literally eats alive all living things.

But all this refers to natural threats that bighorn sheep have successfully learned to bypass and avoid. Only wolves and wolverines hunt artiodactyls, but bighorn sheep are not very easy and simple prey. They still need to be hunted down and caught, so old, sick individuals, pregnant females and weak young animals are most often the victims.

The main predator that threatens the number of protected varieties of bighorn sheep is a man. The indigenous peoples of Siberia and the North took a reasonable approach to prey, forbidding hunting for females, cubs and limiting consumption to certain times of the year, normalizing the number of animals killed.

When hunting ceased to be a means of subsistence and became entertainment, the number of sheep went down sharply. Because of this, the Putorana bighorns are included in the Red Book, and the shooting of some varieties of Yakut chibouks is strictly limited.

Reproduction and offspring

In summer, with an abundance of food, the herd can reach 30-40 individuals. During the breeding season, in mid-November, it is divided into groups of 6 females and 2-3 males. The female's pregnancy lasts up to 5 months. For childbirth, she leaves the herd and retires in a specially prepared secluded den, where she gives birth to one cub.

Feeding lasts a month, after which the lamb becomes independent and switches to eating "adult" food.

Sheep reach puberty by 7 years. Due to competition, young animals are expelled from the herd and form their own group.

Preservation work

Now only two subspecies of the bighorn sheep are protected: the Yakut, which is not threatened with complete destruction, but needs protection, and the Putoran, living in the reserve of the same name on the Putoran Plateau. This is a rare animal, so any action against it is a violation of the law.

The Yakut variety of bighorn sheep lives on the Chukchi Peninsula. Its population suffered mainly from negative weather conditions, developed reindeer husbandry and disturbance by human activity, therefore, to protect it, it is enough to provide comfortable living conditions for the herds, and their numbers will begin to grow. Experiments have been carried out with Putorana rams on crossing with other varieties and species of similar animals, but genetic mismatches still prevent the development of a viable and viable hybrid.

Snow sheep in human economic activity

One of the reasons for the decline in the number of bighorn sheep was the active economic activity of man. The expansion of arable fields, pastures and agricultural land increases competition and leads to a decrease in the number of wild animals.

To protect bighorn sheep, it is important not only to fight against poaching, but also to create protected zones, nature reserves, conduct educational work and preserve the gene pool of rare varieties in specially created reserves.

Nutrition

Meat from bighorn sheep is lean, somewhat tough and stringy, but tasty. It has practically no differences in nutritional value and composition from the meat of domestic sheep, therefore it is prepared according to similar recipes. It can be fried, stewed, baked, served with a variety of side dishes, and also marinated. The flesh of young lambs has an ideal taste and tenderness. Snow sheep are graceful animals that need human protection and patronage to maintain their numbers.