Corsican mouflon
A sheep that has gone feral
The Near Eastern mouflon is the true ancestor of domestic sheep. The Corsican mouflon descends from primitive sheep introduced to the island 6,000 years before Christ, where it has since returned to the wild.
It lives in evergreen forests, scrubland, and deciduous woodlands, especially in mountainous areas. Males and females only come together during the breeding season, from September to December, when they form harems.
The frontal collision of fighting males is comparable to the sound of a gunshot. The males’ horns can be used to determine their age; females may also have small horns.
IUCN status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN)
Description
Ovis aries musimon
Cattle
30 to 55kg
70 to 88cm
Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees
Least Concern
10 to 15 year
Did you know?
The males’ horns begin to grow at 3 to 4 months of age and curl as they grow, reaching lengths of over a meter!
Food
It feeds on leaves, buds, and grasses. It may also feed on tree bark in the winter.
