Mouflon

Latin name: Ovis ammon

Characteristics:
The mouflon is the smallest wild sheep. Males have horns, which they do not shed annually, as red deer do. Females sometimes also have horns, but they are much smaller than the horns of males.
The mouflon has a short, smooth, reddish-brown to chestnut-brown coat. Around the eyes and nose, in the ears, on the underside, hooves and thighs, the coat is whitish. The older an animal is, the larger these spots are. Males also have a light, saddle-shaped spot on their back and a crest in the neck.
Mouflons are rather quiet animals, but they can bleat like domestic sheep. Rams make growling noises and sometimes the knocking of their horns against trees, stones, and each other can be heard during the rutting season.

Reproduction:
Mouflons are real herd animals that have no fixed habitat or territory. Females form a herd with young animals and males usually live alone or in small groups. During the rutting season these groups merge, at least in part. The period in which the mouflon reproduces, also called the rutting season, runs from October to November. The males fight for the females. The males run into each other from some distance, jump up at the last moment, and butt their heads together full on. This butting is repeated, can continue for a very long time, and is sometimes audible. The battles are fierce, but never claim fatalities. After a battle, the winner drives ewes in season out of their group to impregnate them.
After a gestation period of about 5.5 months, the lambs are born. There are usually 1 or 2 per litter. Before birth, the mother isolates herself far from the herd. 20 minutes after birth, the lamb is able to follow its mother. But it also often lies in a quiet spot while the mother grazes nearby. The lamb quickly becomes independent and looks for peers with which to play. They usually stay with their mother for two years, so they are still with her when she has a new lamb.

Diet:
By nature, mouflons are shy animals that are active during the day and at dusk. Mouflons’ hearing and sense of smell are well developed. Their vision is excellent; they can observe movements in the landscape from a great distance. Mouflons are herbivores and can survive on a meagre diet. They mainly eat heather, but also grasses, herbs, twigs, buds, young leaves, and, in winter, they eat tree bark. They also eat blueberry twigs and the acorns of oak and beech trees.