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Ammotragus lervia

(Pallas, 1777)

Barbary Sheep

G5Secure Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
VulnerableIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100764
Element CodeAMALE05010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNVulnerable
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderArtiodactyla
FamilyBovidae
GenusAmmotragus
Other Common Names
Aoudad (FR) Arruí (ES)
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic Comments
Some authors have included the genus Ammotragus in the genus Capra.
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-11-19
Change Date1996-11-19
Range Extent Comments
Native to North Africa (western Sahara to western Egypt; Mali to Sudan). Introduced in Spain, northern Mexico, and the U.S. (Grubb, in Wilson and Reeder 1993). In the U.S., the largest populations are in west Texas (e.g., Palo Duro Canyon), New Mexico (e.g., Canadian River gorge and Largo Canyon), and west-central California (Hearst Ranch).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Arid and semiarid habitat to at least 945 m in North Africa. In the southwestern U.S., inhabits canyonlands with gorges 305 m deep at elevations up to 1829 m. Typically in areas with precipitous topography.

Ecology

Minimum home range size of one radio-collared male in Texas 0.98 sq km in winter, 19.26 sq km in summer. Population density 0.4-2.4 per sq km in different areas of U.S. (Gray and Simpson 1983). Competes with native ungulates.

Reproduction

Most matings occur during autumn rut, September-November, but some occur throughout the year. Gestation lasts 22-23 weeks. Up to 84% of births occur March-May. Females produce 1, sometimes 2, more rarely 3, young.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesertBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNA
ProvinceRankNative
New MexicoSNANo
TexasSNANo
CaliforniaSNANo
Navajo NationSNANo
Roadless Areas (6)
New Mexico (6)
AreaForestAcres
Capitan MountainsLincoln National Forest14,069
Last Chance CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
Little Dog And Pup CanyonsLincoln National Forest25,412
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
References (14)
  1. American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). 2025. Mammal Diversity Database (Version 1.13) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10595931. Online. Available: https://www.mammaldiversity.org/
  2. Bradley, R.D., L.K. Ammerman, R.J. Baker, L.C. Bradley, J.A. Cook. R.C. Dowler, C. Jones, D.J. Schmidly, F.B. Stangl Jr., R.A. Van den Bussche and B. Würsig. 2014. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2014. Museum of Texas Tech University Occasional Papers 327:1-28. Available at: http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/publications/opapers/ops/OP327.pdf
  3. Caire, W., J. D. Tyler, B. P. Glass, and M. A. Mares. 1989. Mammals of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Oklahoma. 567 pp.
  4. Ceballos, G., J. Arroyo-Cabrales, and R. A. Medellín. 2002. The mammals of México: Composition, distribution, and conservation status. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University 218:1-27.
  5. Georgiadis, N. J., P. Kat, H. Oketch, and J. Patton. 1991. Allozyme divergence within the Bovidae. Evolution 44:2135-2149.
  6. Gray, G.G. and C.D. Simpson. 1980. <i>Ammotragus lervia</i>. Mammalian Species, 144:1-7.
  7. Gray, G. G., and C. D. Simpson. 1983. Population characteristics of free-ranging Barbary sheep in Texas. J. Wildl. Manage. 47:954-962.
  8. Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
  9. Kraus, F., and M. M. Miyamoto. 1991. Rapid cladogenesis among the pecoran ruminants: evidence from mitochondrial DNA sequences. Systematic Zoology 40:117-130.
  10. Lever, C. 1985. Naturalized mammals of the world. Longman Group Limited, England.
  11. Whitaker, J. O., Jr. 1996. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, USA. 937 pp.
  12. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
  13. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Third edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes. 2,142 pp. [As modified by ASM the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) at https://www.mammaldiversity.org/index.html]
  14. Zeiner, D. C., W. F. Laudenslayer, Jr., K. E. Mayer, and M. White, editors. 1990b. California's wildlife. Volume III. Mammals. State of California, The Resources Agency, Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA. 407 pp.