Where does the Barbary sheep live?
The Barbary sheep, or aoudad, is native to the rocky mountains of North Africa and parts of West Africa, around the Sahara, including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Tunisia and Sudan. It lives in arid mountainous areas, with steep, rocky mountains and canyons. It has been introduced to North America, southern Europe and elsewhere: to Spain since 1970 and to Texas since 1957.
What does the Barbary sheep eat?
It grazes and browses grasses, bushes and lichens. It can obtain all its water from food, but if liquid water is available, it drinks and wallows in it. It is crepuscular: active in the early morning and late afternoon, and resting in the heat of the day. It stands 75 to 110 cm tall at the shoulder, is around 1.5 m long, and weighs 30 to 145 kg. Its horns curve outward, backward, then inward, and can exceed 76 cm.
Is the Barbary sheep endangered?
Yes: the IUCN lists it as Vulnerable. It is threatened by hunting, legal and otherwise, and by destruction of habitat, but also by feral dogs, competition from livestock and drought. It is rare in its native North Africa.
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