The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

including Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve.
Distribution outside Nepal
Bhutan, China, India.
Main Threats
• Poaching for trade in musk gland.
• Habitat encroachment.
• Disease transmission from livestock (potential).
• Overgrazing & Forest product collection.
References
Zeng and Pin 1979, Oza 1988, Deng 1989, Hayssen et al. 1993, Meng et al. 2003ab,
Groves et al. 1995, Suwal and Verheugt 1995, Jiang 1998, Aryal 2005, Xie and Smith 2008.
26) Ovis ammon (Linnaeus, 1758)
Subspecies Ovis ammon hodgsoni
Common Names
Argali (English); Nayan (Nepali)
Species Description
Nepal’s largest wild sheep. Red-brown or grey
in colour with thick coat. Large horns that curve
backwards - when the horns get particularly long
they twist.
Species Ecology
Argali inhabit mountains, steppe valleys, rocky
outcrops, open desert habitats and alpine
grasslands between 3,000 m and 5,500 m, often
descending lower in winter and generally avoiding
forested areas. This species mainly feeds on forbs,
but when sympatric with Blue Sheep, Argali tend to
occur in grass-dominated communities.
Females become sexually mature at two years
with a gestation period lasting approximately 160
days resulting in the birth of a single offspring. The
maximum life span of Argali is between 10 and 13
years.
Conservation Status
Global: Near Threatened
National: Data Deficient
Rationale for assessment: There is insufficient
information available to make an accurate
assessment of the extinction risk of this species in
Nepal. It is likely that with further information this
species will be considered threatened.
Legal Status
CITES Appendix I
Listed in the National Parks and Wildlife
Conservation Act 2029 (1973) as protected priority
species.
National Population Size
The population of Argali in Nepal is unknown.
However, it is likely to be small, as a total of only
77 Argali were reported from north-eastern side of
Mustang district of Annapurna Conservation Area,
nothern Nepal in 2005.
National Distribution
This species occurs in the high mountains of Nepal
within the protected area of the Annapurna
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