Marco Polo sheep

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marco Polo sheep
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 2.3)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Caprinae Genus: Ovis Species: O. ammon
Binomial name
Ovis ammon polii (Linnaeus, 1758)

Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii) is a subspecies of sheep, specifically of Argali, that takes its name from famed explorer Marco Polo who described the species during his crossing of Pamir (ancient Mount Imeon) in 1271.^[1]. The Marco Polo sheep is particularly known for its long horns. The longest horn ever found on a sheep was found on a Marco Polo sheep and measured 191 centimeters (75 inches)^[2].

The Marco Polo sheep is endangered, numbering only 6,000.^[3] Marco Polo sheep are found only in the Pamir Mountains in the border region of China, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. Some of the protected areas where the species occurs include the Khunjerab National Park and Central Karakoram National Park in northern Pakistan and the Taxkongau Nature Reserve in southwestern China. The Wildlife Conservation Society is trying to organize a protected area for the sheep of about 50,000 square kilometers (20,000 square miles) straddling the four borders. ^[3]

[edit] References

1. ^ Polo, Marco and Rustichello of Pisa. The Travels of Marco Polo, Vol. 1. Ed. Henry Yule (1903), and Henry Cordier (1920). Gutenberg Project, 2004.
2. ^ [1] URL accessed March 16, 2006
3. ^ ^{a b} Jeemon Jacob (September 16, 2006). Conflict threatens rare Asian mountain sheep, experts say. AFP. Retrieved on September 18, 2006.