Barbary Sheep Barbary Sheep
Barbary Sheep

Barbary Sheep

Scientific Classification

Common Name
Barbary sheep
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Artiodactyla
Family
Bovidae
Genus Species
Ammotragus lervia

Fast Facts

Description
The Barbary sheep has a long, vertical fringe of hair extending from the throat region to the upper part of the front legs. It also has long back-curved horns.
Male: The horns of males are slightly longer than those of females.
Size
Approximately 0.91 to 1.1 m (3 to 3.5 ft) tall at the shoulder
Weight
Approximately 45.5 kg (100 lbs.)
Diet
Graze on a variety of grasses, shrubs, flowers, young plants, and leaves
Incubation
Mating takes place throughout the year, but mostly occurs from September through November. Gestation lasts approximately 154–161 days. A single offspring is typical, although twins are also common.
Sexual Maturity
About 18 months
Life Span
Have been known to live as much as 20 years
Range
Barbary sheep were originally native to the Barbary coast in Africa including Morocco, the Western Sahara, Egypt, and Sudan. Some populations have been introduced to North America.
Habitat
Native to rocky, dry, mountain areas
Population
Global: Unknown
Status 
IUCN:
CITES:
USFWS:

Fun Facts

  1. Sheep are grazers, chewing their cud. They have a four-chambered stomach that allows them to ruminate.
  2. Male sheep are called rams. Females are called ewes.
  3. Barbary sheep live in arid environments and acquire much of their water from the plants they eat. However, they will readily drink water if it is available.

Ecology and Conservation

Barbary sheep populations have declined drastically over much of their native range due to hunting for their skins, meat, and sinew.

In some areas where Barbary sheep have been introduced, there is concern that they may compete with the native bighorn sheep for food resources.


Bibliography

MacDonald, D. The Encyclopedia of Mammals: 2. London: George Allen & Unwin Co., 1985.

Nowak, R. M. Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.

The Mammals of Texas: http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/ammolerv.htm