40
Larestan Mouflon ram
Afghan Urial ram showing dark throat fringe
in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Animals hunted in the 20th
century in Oman were probably introduced from Iran and it is
doubtful if any survive.
All races are recognizable as Wild Sheep, with rams carrying
massive, curved, forwards-facing horns that in some races may exceed
1 m around the curve. Ewes may be hornless or carry short, thin
horns. The coats of Wild Sheep are short and usually sandy-yellow in
summer, longer and somewhat darker in winter. Unlike rams of most
goat species, Wild Sheep rams do not have beards. Urial rams have a
bib of longish white to grizzled hair on the throat. Some Mouflon-race
rams have a light-coloured saddle on the back and a dark-coloured bib
on the lower neck (present in two races). Wild Sheep rams are larger
than the ewes.
Size Shoulder height 50–100 cm.
Weight 2 5–85 kg.