Asian Wild Sheep
World-wide, there exist some 100 species and distinct sub-species of wild sheep and goats. Almost three-quarters of these are considered threatened (one-third endangered or critical) by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. For various reasons, few of these species can be studied in the same detail as can bighorn sheep. Many species, however, have life histories broadly similar to that of bighorn. There is hope, then, that bighorn can serve in some ways as a surrogate species in conservation planning for their less tractable relatives.
In this project, MOCSI Research Biologist Dr. Jack Hogg will work with Dr. Rich Harris (University of Montana) on his study of blue sheep in China's Qinghai Province to identify ways in which bighorn might function as a conservation surrogate for blue sheep. Tentative plans call for Jack to visit Rich's study site during the 2007-08 breeding season. We are particularly interested to know to what extent the blue sheep mating system resembles that of bighorn since mating system fundamentally influences small population effects and migratory behavior in bighorn.