Description

Argali (Ovis ammon) are listed on the current IUCN Red List as Near Threatened, because their numbers are declining due to poaching and competition with livestock. Argali are also listed in Appendix II of the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and in the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Argali are the largest of the world’s wild sheep, and primary threats are poaching and loss and degradation of habitat. Some populations are stable while others are decreasing. The horns of the males are highly valued as a trophy and argali are a species with considerable economic potential. This Single Species Action Plan was developed at a workshop organized by CMS that took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in December 2012. The draft plan was subsequently further refined by the world’s leading argali experts during an extensive process of review.