Ovis cycloceros Hutton 1842
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Bovidae
Ovis
Ovis cycloceros

description: 195.
Afghan Urial
Ovis cycloceros
French: Mouflon afghan / German: Turkmenistan-Wildschaf / Spanish: Urial de Turkmenistan
Other common names: Blanford's Urial, Trans-Caspian Urial, Turkmenian Urial
Taxonomy: Ouvis cycloceros Hutton, 1842,
Afghanistan.
Urial taxonomy is controversial; formerly urial species: Ladakh (O. vignei), Punjab (O. punjabiensis), Bukhara (O. bochariensis), and Afghan recognized here, were usually classified as subspecies of O. orientalis, or all as subspecies of O. vignei. (The name orientalis is based on a hybrid population in north-central Iran and is not usable.) There is a hybrid zone, which has been confirmed by karyological and molecular genetic studies, where the distributions of this species and the Anatolian Sheep (O. gmelini) overlap in the Alborz Mountains of north-central Iran. Urials differ from all other wild sheep in having a diploid number of 58 chromosomes while all other sheep have 52, 54, or 56 chromosomes; also males in the winter coat usually have a distinct white bib (long hairs growing from the throat) and a white or black neck ruff restricted to the front of the neck. Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
O.c.cyclocerosHutton,1842—C&NEAfghanistanandW&SPakistan.
O. c. arkal Eversmann, 1850 — NE Iran, S & NW Turkmenistan, and W Kazakhstan.
Descriptive notes. Measurements from north-eastern Iran, head-body 135-160 cm (males) and 120-134 cm (females), tail 12-13 cm (males) and 11-13 cm (females), shoulder height 94-97 cm (males) and 82-88 cm (females), hindfoot 37-40 cm (males) and 34-37 cm (females); weight 62-66 kg (males) and 36-42 kg (females). Mean body measurements from southern Pakistan, head-body 127 cm (males) and 94 cm (females), tail 11 cm (males) and 10-5 cm (females), shoulder height 75 cm (males) and 72 cm (females), hindfoot 34 cm (males) and 32 cm (females); weight 36 kg (males) and 26 kg (females). There is great variation in body size of Afghan Urials. Also, population quality can vary depending on forage availability in areas shared by urials and domestic livestock. Males from north-eastern Iran in protected areas without livestock and in lush rangelands can attain weights of 85 kg; males from desert populations in southern Pakistan rarely exceed 40 kg. Both sexes possess a clearly delineated white rump patch that is restricted to below the base of the tail. The back of the hindquarters and lower legs from the knee to the hooves are usually white. Males in the winter coat from north-eastern Iran and southern Turkmenistan lack a saddle patch, but those from eastern populations usually possess a saddle patch of variable size. The throat ruff and neck ruff are variable in color; in general, western races have a white throat and neck ruff and eastern forms have a white throat ruff and a black neck ruff.
Habitat. The Afghan Urial has a greater distribution and occurs in a greater variation of habitats than any other species of urial. Populations occur from near sea level to above 3000 m, but rarely exceed 4000 m. Annual precipitation in Afghan Urial habitats varies from less than 150 mm in desert areas to over twice that in some montane habitats. In southern Pakistan, these urials occur in low-elevation mountain ranges below 1200 m. Many occur in degraded habitats grazed by domestic livestock. They usually use rounded, broken montane terrain at lower elevations, but readily access precipitous terrain as escape cover. Predators include Leopards (Panthera pardus), Gray Wolves (Canis lupus), Golden Jackals (C. aureus), Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and feral and domestic dogs. Wolves, although extirpated in some areas, probably account for the greatest percentage of mortalities by wild carnivores. Afghan Urials rarely live more than ten years. A study of population age structure based on captured live specimens and horns collected in the field in southern Turkmenistan revealed that none of the rams was older than eight years old. Urial densities can vary from less than 1 ind/ km? in poor-quality habitat overgrazed by domestic livestock to 4-5 ind/km? in good habitat.
Food and Feeding. This species is an opportunistic herbivore, feeding on grasses and shrubs.
Breeding. Most males reach sexual maturity by age two but do not participate in the rut until 4-5 years old. Females first give birth at age two. The mating season occurs in November—December in colder climates but can vary in desert populations. Most births in desert areas in southern Pakistan occur in February and the rut occurs in August. Reproduction is dependent on summer precipitation in desert populations. Twinning can be common, but in years of low precipitation, single offspring prevail. Under extreme drought conditions, females can fail to reproduce and there is high lamb mortality. In contrast, in areas with high forage production, productivity is high. In north-eastern Iran, based on ewes collected during late gestation, 100% of threeyear-olds and those greater than four years old were pregnant. Fifty per cent of the two-year-olds and 56% of the yearlings were pregnant. Eleven percent of the threeyear-olds and 42% of those four years old and older had twin fetuses; none of the yearlings or two-year-olds had twins.
Activity patterns. Mostly active during morning and afternoons. During the warmest period of the day, they seek thermal cover in tall vegetation.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Movements and home range data are not available. Except for the mating season, adult males and females segregate into separate groups. Ram groups are composed of two-year-olds and older males. Female groups consist of ewes, lambs, yearlings, and occasionally younger rams. Ram groups usually number less than 30, but female groups can exceed 100. In areas with high populations, ewe groups consist of 10-49 animals. Adult rams form dominance hierarchies, with older, larger rams dominant over younger rams. Dominance hierarchies probably also occur among ewes.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II (under O. vignei). Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List (as O. orientalis cycloceros and O. o. arkal). The Afghan Urial occurs in fragmented populations and rarely occurs outside protected areas. Statuses of populations in Iran and Afghanistan are unknown. Their greatest threats are competition with livestock and illegal hunting. In north-eastern Iran, until the early 1980s, one protected area alone supported a population of 15,000 animals; its present status is unknown. Populations in all countries have greatly declined. Protected areas rarely have populations exceeding 500. Most populations in Afghanistan have probably been extirpated.
Bibliography. Baskin & Danell (2003), Edge & Olson-Edge (1987), Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1966), Frisina (2002), Frisina et al. (2006), Groves & Grubb (2011), Grubb (2005), Habibi (1997a, 2003), Heptner et al. (1988), Hess et al. (1997), Hoogstraal & Valdez (1980), Kowalski (1972), Rezaei et al. (2010), Roberts (1997), Schaller (1977), Valdez (1976, 2008), Valdez & DeForge (1985), Valdez, Alamia, Bunch & Mowlavi (1977), Valdez, Nadler & Bunch (1978), Weinberg et al. (1997), Ziaie (1997).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Bovidae, pp. 444-779 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 686-687, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6512484