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urial
The Urial (Ovis orientalis vignei groupICZN (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature) [http://www.iczn.org/BZNMar2003opinions.htm opinion 2027]), also known as the Arkars or Shapo, is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis orientalis. Noticeable features are the reddish-brown long fur that fades during winter; males are characterized by a black ruff stretching from the neck to the chest and large horns. It is found in western central Asia. The other subspecies group of O. orientalis is the Mouflon (Ovis orientalis orientalis group). The two groups have often been considered separate species.Grubb, Peter (2005). Order Perissodactyla. Pp. 708-710 in: Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn, M. (2005). Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. 3d edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4
Physical characteristics
Urial males have large horns, curling outwards from the top of the head turning in to end somewhere behind the head; females have shorter, compressed horns. The horns of the males may be up toDistribution
The Urial is found in western central Asia from northeastern Iran and western Kazakhstan to Pakistan's Balochistan and Indian Ladakh. To the east it is replaced by the bigger Argali and to the southwest by the Asiatic Mouflon. Its habitat consists of grassy slopes below the timberline. Urials rarely move to the rocky areas of the mountains. For example in northern Iran they produce hybrids with Asiatic mouflon under natural conditions. Urials feed mainly on grass but are able to eat leaves of trees and bushes if needed. The conservation status of the Urial is threatened as their habitat is perfectly suitable for human development; however the Urial population has been recovering in recent years.Behaviour
The mating season begins in September. Rams (which live separately at other times) select four or five ewes, who will give each birth to a lamb after a gestation of five months.Subspecies
The vignei subspecies group consists of six individual subspecies:- Afghan Urial or Turkmenian sheep (Ovis orientalis cycloceros): southern Turkmenistan, eastern Iran, Afghanistan, north Balochistanhttp://www.un.org.pk/undp/sgp/green-pioneers/chap-13.htm and northern Pakistan, Kashmir
- Transcaspian Urial (Ovis orientalis arkal): Ustjurt-Plateau (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, northern Iran) and western Kazakhstan
- Blanford Urial or Balochistan Urial (Ovis orientalis blanfordi): Balochistan are often included in this subspecies.
- Bukhara Urial (Ovis orientalis bochariensis): Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, mountains around Amu Darya
- Punjab Urial (Ovis orientalis punjabiensis): the provincial animal of the Punjab (Pakistan)
- Ladakh Urial (Ovis orientalis vignei): Ladakh males have curly horns but the females have flat horns
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