Mouflon

Ovis aries musimon

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Mammalia · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

About

The mouflon is a wild sheep native to Cyprus, and the Caspian region, including eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Iran. It is also found in parts of Europe. It is thought to be the ancestor of all modern domestic sheep breeds.

Fun Fact

Mouflon are thought to be the ancestor of all domestic sheep breeds, first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 10,000 years ago — feral mouflon on Mediterranean islands are descendants of those early domestic flocks gone wild.

Quick Facts

Habitat

Mountain grasslands

Diet

Herbivore

Lifespan

8-12 years

Threats

Urban Expansion
Agricultural Conversion
Overgrazing

External Data Sources

Recent sightings on iNaturalist IUCN Red List profile

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