Iranian red sheep or Armenian Mouflon is an critically endangered species of mouflon endemic to Armenia

Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...

, Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

 and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...

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Habitat

The Iranian red sheep lives mostly in open rough terrain at medium or high altitudes, where they inhabit rocky hill country, lowland and highland steppes, and rocky semi-deserts, as well as grass covered slopes and alpine meadows.

These alpine sheep spend the summer at the highest elevations, up to six thousand meters, right below the permanent snow. In winter they move lower and may come into the valleys.

They live in small or larger herds, and in the summer the older males live singly or in separate groups. They may live up to 18 years.

Status

Under the menace of disappearing. Included in the Red Book of the former USSR

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

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Habitat in Armenia

Southern border of the natural habitat crosses Arax. For the last decade they were met in Khosrov Nature Reserve.

Number in the wild

During 1950s they were met in the southern parts of Armenia with groups of 200. By 1970 not more than 400 species were found in Armenia. By 1974 the number decreased to several dozens; the biggest group was of 9 species.

Measures of protection taken

Hunting is forbidden since 1936. Khosrov Nature Reserve was created in 1958 but most important parts of the natural habitat were not included there. Included in the Appendix 2 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

External links

• http://www.huntrockcreekranch.com/the_animals.html#iranian - Site about Armenian / Iranian Red Sheep