Ovis collium Severtzov 1873
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 collium

description: 199.
Kazakhstan Argali
Ovis collium
French: Mouflon du Kazakhstan / German: Kasachstan-Wildschaf / Spanish: Argali de Kazajistan
Other common names: Karaganda Argali
Taxonomy. Ovis collium Severtzov, 1873,
Kyrgyz Steppe, North of Lake Balkhash.
This species is usually classified as a subspecies of O. ammon or as a synonym of O. karelini. Monotypic.
Distribution. C & E Kazakhstan (Saur and Tarbagatai Mts between Lake Balkhash and Irtysh River N of Tianshan Mts) extending into NW China; an isolated population in Ereymentau, Koitas, and Niyaz Mts, N of the town of Ereymentau town, Kazakhstan.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 165-199 cm (males) and 136-160 cm (females), tail 10-17 cm (males) and 7-16 cm (females), shoulder height 108-135 cm (males) and 85-100 cm (females), ear 9-14. 5 cm (males) and 10-14 cm (females); weight 108-157 kg (males) and 43.2-62 kg (females). Horn length 94.5-154 cm (males) and 26-32 cm (females), basal horn girth 32.3-43 cm (males), horn weight 11-15 kg (males). Average length of Kazakhstan Argali horns is shorter than the Tianshan Argali (O. karelini). Coloration resembles that of the Tianshan Argali, but is somewhat brighter and more contrast ing. Based on a color photograph, the upper portion of the face is gray contrasting sharply with the white muzzle, lower lip, chin, and throat; a white ruff surrounds the neck and extends to the white chest and brisket. The upper portion of the front and hindlegs is dark; the lower portion is white. There is a dark, wide flank stripe extending from the front leg to the hindleg. Otherwise, the Kazakhstan Argali is similar to Tianshan Argali. Diploid chromosome numberis 56.
Habitat. The Kazakhstan Argali occurs in the Kazakh Uplands at 1000-1500 m above sea level, mostly in steppe habitats. Climate is sharply continental and arid, with winters lasting for 5-5-5 months and average snow cover of 20-26 cm. Some habitats are precipitous, others undulating and gentle. Tarbagatai-Saur Mountains rise more than 2500 m above sea level. In Tarbagatai, the Kazakhstan Argali inhabit mainly steppe habitat on the northern slope, at elevations below 2000 m; in Saur, they mostly occur in subalpine and alpine meadows. Unlike other argali, Kazakhstan Argali often feed in shrub and open forest stands. In Kent Mountains, males feed in pine forests and rest in thick pine or dense juniper stands. More often argali females with young rest and seek secure cover in dense shrub thickets; males prefer more open habitats. Usually there is a strong ecological and spatial segregation of males and females. In summer, females with young can occur in separate mountain ranges from males. Lamb mortality during summer can be as high as 30%. Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) predation can account for 40-73% of annual mortality.
Food and Feeding. In Kazakh Upland, diet consists of higher proportions of forbs than graminoids and browse. Browse can dominate the winter diet. In more arid southern areas, browse consumption increases. Kazakhstan Argali often feed in cultivated grain fields in valleys in winter, spring, and summer.
Breeding. Rut occurs in the second half of October and lasts through November. Parturition occurs from late March to early May. Newborns weigh 3.4-5 kg. About 17-33% of females twin, but twinning can decrease to 2% after harsh winters. Lamb—ewe ratios are 42-67 lambs: 100 ewes, with an average of 58 lambs:100 ewes.
Activity patterns. Daily activity of Kazakhstan Argali resembles that of other argali.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Kazakhstan Argali migrate seasonally between mountain ranges. There are also irregular movements caused by droughts and steppe fires. In East Tarbagatai in the spring, the animals migrate into China; they return in autumn. Mean group size depends on population density. During the rut in October, average group size was 3-1-8-6 animals, with densities of 2:3-15-2 ind/ km? In summer 1997, average female group size was 2—4-4, with a maximum of 11; males usually occurred alone or in pairs, with a maximum of five animals. In another study, population densities in different mountain ranges varied from 0-24 ind/km?* to 0-35 ind/km? and adult males made up 44% and yearlings 7-6-11% of the population.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II (under O. ammon). Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List (under O. ammon). There was a distinct decline in numbers and distribution in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but numbers increased by the late 1980s, occurring in areas where the species had not been seen in years. They even populated undulating lowlands far from mountains. However, a decline occurred in the mid-1990s. There were about 10,000 in Kazakhskiy Melokosopochnik in 1990s, some 1000 in other areas of Kazakhstan, and 2000-3000 in China. The current total estimate is about 13,000 -14,000. Most common threats are poaching, competition with livestock, and steppe fires.
Bibliography. Baskin & Danell (2003), Berber (1999), Berber & Erzhanov (2003), Berber & Kalmykov (1994), Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1966), Fedosenko (2000), Fedosenko & Blank (2001), Fedosenko & Kapitonov (1983), Fedosenko & Weinberg (1999), Geist (1991a), Groves & Grubb (2011), Grubb (2005), Harris & Reading (2008), Heptner et al. (1988), Kapitanova et al. (2004), Kapitonov & Makhmutov (1977), Magomedov et al. (2003), Weinberg et al. (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 page 690, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6512484