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Aoudad
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Subfamily : Caprinae
Species : Ammotragus lervia
An Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) can range from 1.3 to 1.65 meters in length, with a tail length of 15 centimeter, and its weight ranges from 30 to 145kgs. The Aoudads' outer coverings are red or sandy brown. Bother sexes have a heavy covering of hair at the throat's area, but for the male, this covers its front feet and chest. The Aoudad has very thick, triangular-based horns. Their horns have rings, and as the Aoudad gets older, worn down, which gives a smooth facade. They live in the rocky mountains of North Africa.The Aoudad has a gestation period of 160 days, and the average number in a litter is just one. Although it has been recorded that in rare occasions, they could go to three. The longevity of an Aoudad is 20 years, give or take a year or two. Breeding can occur at any time within the year, but the peak goes from September to November.
Principally, this is a desert dweller, and they are most busy at the cooler hours of the dusk/dawn, and they seek refuge during the day's heat. Talking of sure-footed animals, this animal is surely one, they can jump 2 meters without difficulties. They usually get water from the foods they get, but if water is within reach, they also drink. Their diet consists of lichens, acacia and grass. The leopard is their natural predator.
In North Africa, their numbers are dwindling, but they have been introduced to southern US and parts of Spain. Their numbers in this part of the world has been increasing so much, that they have begun infringing on the territories of the indigenous desert bighorn sheep.
Oh...this you should know, the word is pronounced as "Ow-dad", and this is the name used by the North African tribe of Berbers.
Interesting fact: The newborns are capable of traversing rocky hills just (almost immediately) after being born.
Picture of the Aoudad by Andrzej Barabasz (Chepry), licensed under GFDL
The Aoudad, barbary sheep, uaddan is listed as Vulnerable (VU), considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Countries
Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Israel, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Western SaharaHabitats
Grassland, Shrubland, Subtropical / Tropical Dry Grassland and Subtropical / Tropical Dry Shrubland
Facts about the aoudad
Barbary Sheep Barbary Sheep in the news The Barbary Sheep or Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) is a goat-antelope found in rocky mountains in North Africa.
Fun Facts: Aoudads are very distinctive animals, large of shoulder and thin of hip.
Aoudads are cited for having an even number of traits representative of both species, plus an additional ten traits strictly unique to themselves. (Full text)
The scientific name Ammotragus lervia, is the Greek name for this goat-sheep like animal. (Full text)
Among the biggest fans of aoudads are serious sheep hunters who travel the world to hunt wild sheep, Steinkruger says. (Full text)
Aoudads are now firmly established in the Hill Country and in the Trans-Pecos. (Full text)
Natural History: Like most desert dwellers, the aoudad is most active in the cooler hours of dawn and dusk, seeking shade and shelter during the day. (Full text)
Natural History: This sheep, also called the aoudad, is adapted to a dry, rough, barren, and waterless habitat — much as is the native bighorn sheep of our southwestern deserts. (Full text)
The Aoudad is free-ranging and wary, (Full text)
Aoudad Sheep An aoudad is a wild North African sheep that has long curved (Full text)
The Barbary Sheep or Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) is a goat-antelope found in rocky mountains in North Africa. (Full text)
How they behaveLike most desert dwellers, the aoudad is most active in the cooler hours of dawn and dusk, (Full text)
Young aoudads are able to climb rocks within hours following their birth. (Full text)
The Aoudad is a tough animal wherever you choose to hunt him. (Full text)
Aoudads are herbivores and are most active at dawn and dusk, avoiding the desert heat of midday. (Full text)
AOUDAD The aoudad or Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus lervia) is a wild mountain sheep of north Africa, having horns curved in a semicircle and long hair covering the neck and forelegs. (Full text)
(xix) Barbary sheep or Aoudad, Bovidae Family (Ammotragus lervia) is prohibited for collection, importation and possession; (xx) Bighorn sheep (including hybrids) Bovidae Family (Ovis canadensis) are prohibited for collection, importation and possession; (xxi) Dall's and Stone's sheep (including hybrids) Bovidae Family (Ovis dalli) are prohibited for (Full text)
Aoudads are tan with a large neck mane on the front and the back of their necks, and they have unusual tufts of hair, called chaps, that encircle their front legs. (Full text)
The aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) is called the Barbary "Sheep", but it is not really a sheep. (Full text)
The Aoudad is a native of the mountains of North Africa. (Full text)
Ecology and Behavior Like most desert dwellers, the aoudad is most active in the cooler hours (Full text)
The Sabloka Game Reserve, specially established for the protection of the wild sheep (Ammotragus lervia), is no longer believed to hold any of them. (Full text)
(additional references)Misspellings"Aoudad" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: abudad, acudad, adudad, aeudad, afudad, agudad, aiudad, ajudad, akudad, aludad, aouda, aoudas, aoufad, auda, Audap, Audax, Audland, Daouad, Daoudi, Hamoudah, Ouadda. (Full text)
(additional references)Top Crosswords: Ammotragus LerviaNon-English Usage: "Ammotragus Lervia" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses. (Full text)
1. aoudad, arui, audad, Barbary sheep, maned sheep, Ammotragus lervia -- (wild sheep of northern Africa)aoudad
arui
audad
Barbary sheep
maned sheep
Ammotragus lervia
(Source WordNet)