Ammotragus lervia
Ammotragus lervia
The Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia Pallas, 1777) is a mammal belonging to the Bovidae family.
Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Animalia,
Phylum Chordata,
Mammalia class,
Order Artiodactyla,
Bovidae family,
Subfamily Caprinae,
Genus Ammotragus,
Species A. lervia.
The term is basionym:
– Antilope lervia Pallas, 1777.
Within this species the following subspecies are recognised:
– Ammotragus lervia subsp. angusi W.Rothschild, 1921;
– Ammotragus lervia subsp. blainei (W.Rothschild, 1913);
– Ammotragus lervia subsp. fassini Lepri, 1930;
– Ammotragus lervia subsp. lervia (Pallas, 1777);
– Ammotragus lervia subsp. ornatus (I.Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827);
– Ammotragus lervia subsp. sahariensis (W.Rothschild, 1913).
Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Ammotragus lervia is a goat native to the rocky mountains of North Africa and lives in Morocco, Algeria, Chad, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sudan. In Western Sahara and in Tunisia it has been reintroduced in many mountainous areas; it is widespread in southern Algeria, where the Arabs call it arni.
Outside its natural distribution area, it has been introduced for hunting purposes in Spain (Sierra Espuña since 1970 and La Palma-Canary Island since 1972), in Mexico and in the United States.
In Spain, where it has found an ideal habitat, it has acclimatised so well as to become an invasive species, which is creating considerable problems for the native vegetation and is in competition with the local ibex. To try to eradicate it, it does not enjoy any protection from hunting.
In Italy it is very common in zoos and wildlife parks. However, a small nucleus lives free on Mount Beigua, in Liguria. These are some specimens, which escaped in 2016 from a private park, which have adapted well to the mountain environment. This small nucleus contributes to arousing friction between hunters and animal rights activists.
In its natural habitat it lives in steep areas ranging from sea level up to mountains of 4,100m (as in the Atlas Mountains).
Description –
Ammotragus lervia has a distinctive appearance, with a massive body and coarse reddish-brown or light gray fur.
A perfectly developed male has about 1.80 meters in length and over one meter in height, with a weight that can reach 140 kg.
The most peculiar character of the animal is a thick mane that begins on the upper part of the neck and descends to the chest, extending on the front legs up to the knee joint.
The horns, which are almost 60 centimeters long, are almost quadrangular below, compressed above, deeply grooved on the external face. They begin to rise vertically, then curve backwards, also pointing the tip in this direction. In fact, they have the typical round shape, the same as animals such as the Caucasian ibex or the Tibetan bharal. With the exception of the mane and short tail tuft, the pelage resembles that of goats, being rough and close fitting to the body.
The underside and inside of the legs are whitish in color while a dark band runs along the back.
Biology –
During the mating period, the males of Ammotragus lervia often engage in hard fights. After a period ranging from four to five months after mating, the female gives birth to one or two lambs, which stay with their mother for about four months, but become independent long before their mother’s next mating.
She lives in small groups of 3-6 individuals from which the adult males remain outside. He is very skilled at climbing rocks and is able to jump nimbly.
Ecological Role –
Ammotragus lervia is known in Arabic as waddan or uaddan, in northern Berber awdad, udad, addad, in northern Tuareg udad and in southern efital.
It is an animal that has adapted to living in arid and mountainous environments, such as the Atlas mountain ranges.
It is able to withstand extreme climatic conditions, including long periods of drought.
Its diet consists mainly of tough and resistant plants, such as bushes and shrubs, which it manages to digest effectively thanks to its specialized digestive system.
The diet obviously changes with the season: in summer, juicy alpine plants and dry lichens, herbs in winter. It can remain for a long time without drinking since the nocturnal dew and the water contained in the vegetables it feeds on are enough.
These animals are usually territorial and live in small family groups consisting of a dominant female, her harem of males, and their offspring. During the mating season, males fight with each other for the right to mate with females.
This species is considered vulnerable due to hunting and habitat loss. However, in some protected areas, conservation efforts are helping populations recover. Ammotragus lervia has also been introduced to other regions of the world for hunting purposes or for the management of vegetation populations.
They have been introduced in southeastern Spain, the southwestern United States (Chinati Mountains on La Escalera Ranch, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Palo Duro Canyon, Trans-Pecos and other parts of Texas, as well as New Mexico), the Niihau Island (Hawaii), Mexico and some parts of Africa.
In Spain they have become common in a limited region of the southeastern part, since its introduction in 1970 in the Sierra Espuña Regional Park as a game species. Its adaptability allowed it to colonize nearby areas quickly, and private game holdings provided other dispersal centers. The species is currently expanding, according to recent field surveys, it is now found in the provinces of Alicante, AlmerÃa, Granada and Murcia.
This species is a potential competitor to the native ungulates that inhabit the Iberian Peninsula. The species was also introduced to La Palma (in the Canary Islands) and has spread throughout the northern and central part of the island, where it poses a serious threat to the endemic vegetation.
It has also been introduced several times into Croatia, where there is a population in Mosor.
Guido Bissanti
Sources-
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon , 2010. Atlas of native breeds. Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs reared in Italy, Edagricole-New Business Media, Bologna.
Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/270670368/original.jpg