The Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus lervia) is a species of goat-antelope, called a caprid. It lives in the mountains of North Africa in countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Sudan, and Morocco.

The Barbary Sheep is light-brown with a slightly lighter underbelly and a darker line across the back. As it ages, its colour becomes darker. Its legs are reddish-brown or grey-brown. It has shaggy hair on its throat. Its smooth horns curve outward, backward, and then inward.

It is an ungulate because it has hooves. It is very agile and can climb rocky hills. It can also jump.

 

Barbary Sheep grow to 80-100 centimetres (2.6 to 3.3 feet) tall at the shoulder. Its horns can reach up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) long.

The Barbary Sheep like dry mountainous areas, where it can graze on grass. It is a grazer.

The Barbary Sheep is crepuscular because it is most active at dawn and dusk. It rests during the heat of the day.

 

Location of photographs: Tbilisi Zoo, Georgia]

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM