Argali lamb (Ovis ammon) morphometric measurements and survivorship in Mongolia.

Reading, Richard P.; Kenny, David; Amgalanbaatar, Sukh; DeNicola, Anthony; Wingard, Ganchimeg

The article discusses research on morphometric variables that may affect survivorships of neonatal argali sheep, Ovis ammon. The study made use of 75 argali lams that were fitted with expandable, drop-off radio collars and left in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in Mongolia. Variables evaluated included body weight, date of birth, gender and precipitation. The study found that only 44.6 percent of the observed argali lambs were able to survive the first year of their lives. The main cause of death by these lambs was predation, which accounted for 44.6 percent, followed by starvation.

MONGOLIA; ARGALI; MOUNTAIN sheep; PREDATION; BODY weight; STARVATION; METEOROLOGICAL precipitation; NATURE reserves

Mammalia: International Journal of the Systematics, Biology & Ecology of Mammals, 2009, Vol 73, Issue 2, p98

0025-1461

Academic Journal

10.1515/MAMM.2009.021