ANTOLIAN WILD SHEEP OVIS GMELINII ANATOLICA ANATOLIAN WILD

ANTOLIAN WILD SHEEP (OVIS GMELINII ANATOLICA)

• ANATOLIAN WILD SHEEP • In Anatolian Region, It is named as «Mountain Sheep» , » Rock Sheep» or «Ceran» • It is known as a member of : -family of double hoofed (Artiodactyla) -subfamily of ruminant (Ruminantia) -stockfamily (Bovidea) -family of Sheep (Ovis)

• Anatolian Wild Sheep is the family member of Asian Mouflan that is one of the five wild sheep species in the world. • It is endemic species. It is unique to Turkey. It is seen only in Turkey.

• Although it is known as the ancestor of domestic sheep, it doesn’t look like the same. • It is a smart and swift animal.

• Anatolian Wild Sheep looks like a deer more than sheep with short feathers, short ears and tail, tall and thin legs. • Its vision, scent(smelling) and auditiory sense are quite advanced.

• Females are 80 -90 cm tall and their weight is 35 -40. • The height of males is 105 -140 cm and they are 45 -75 kg.

• Its front legs are shorter than the back legs. This feature is quite helpfull for climbing the hills.

• ITS HABITAT • It lives in the Central Anatolia Region in TURKEY. • Typical habitat of Anatolion Wild Sheep is arid (rainless) and smooth hills that steppe and forest are side by side

• Nutrition (Feeding): • Steppe plants laying on the habitat is the food of Anatolian Wild Sheep. • Wild Sheep eats grasses, leguminuous seeds(bean , chick-pea, broad bean) and tubers (roots of plants) that sheep dig and take from underground. • Even they can eat plants that are poisonous for the other animals. • They have a high tolerance of dehydration(thirst).

• BIOLOGY • Its average life time(life span) is about 15 -18 years. • Female sheep has no horns. • Male sheep has horns that are out-swing(go through) to both sides and lengthen as the animal gets older. Horns appear when it is 4 months old and grow in the whole life time • In summer, its fur is a kind of yellowish-brown. This color gets darker in winter time. • Males start to breed after 4 -5 ages, a 2 year-old female sheep can breed. • A young female sheep can breed one lamb, when it gets older it has two lambs in one birth(breed) • The mating term is for two months. Males and females live together in this term.

• The pregnancy term (gestation) is approximately 5 months. • It generaly gives a birth(breed) in May or June. • The pregnant female sheep leaves the herd to breed and goes to rough places not to be reached. • It lives alone for a while, and then it comes back to the herd again. • The young lamb can run as fast as its mother two or three hours later after the birth.

• MIGRATION • Anatolian Wild Sheep do not immigrate. • It is a unique endemic species to TURKEY. It is only seen in Turkey.

• Population • According to the publisments in 1800 s, its life area consists of the mountainous district in cities; Ankara, Eskişehir, Afyon and Konya. • These animals has faced to be endangered animal species because of ; - overhunting - pressure of other hunter animals -food trouble • In 1960 s, the numbers of Anatolian Wild Sheep were under 50. • In 1966, They kept under protection in a 420 km 2 –special area. By means of these precautions, the number is over 2000 today.

• Behaviroural Features • For the Anatolian Wild Sheep , the male and female herds live seperately almost in 10 months. • Generally, males make a herd of 10 -15 bodies, females make a group of 18 -20.

• The leader of the herd is an old and experienced female sheep. • In case of danger, it warns the other sheep in the herd by hitting the ground with its foot and by making a noise just like a whistle. So it can lead its herd to a safer place.

• Male sheep herds only consist of the males that reach to the maturity. (complete the sexual development) • Wild sheep make more complex and crowded herd during the mating term (Breeeding Time) • In this term , an old female sheep undertakes the leadership

• Seasonal Behaviours • In summer time , female and male herds live apart from each other in seperate areas • They spend 8 -10 hours of the day for browsing(eating grasses and plants)

• The Anatolian Wild Sheep had been living in many areas in Turkey 50 years ago. • The reasons of over-hunting and reduction of its life areas, they became a 30/40 number of animal group only in Konya in 1967. • The first precaution/policy on protecting these animals was taken by the Ministry of Agriculture. • In Bozdağ(in Konya), the only place they have maintained their life , a protected and protecting area in 60. 000(59. 296 )hektare wideness has been established. So the number is getting higher and then. • After 2004, workings on bringing these animals to ex-life environments have been carried on. As a result of this; 172 sheep to Ankara, 61 sheep to Karaman, 20 sheep to Malatya were transported.