A wild sheep of Asia’s highlands that moves with the seasons.
Both sexes have horns, but the adult male’s horns are much larger and more curled than the female’s.
In the Pamir Mountains of southeastern Tajikistan, researchers used occurrence records from 2009–2015 to model summer and winter habitat suitability for Marco Polo argali. Proximity to rivers and vegetation greenness were especially important in the summer model. Access to water and green forage helped distinguish areas predicted to suit the warmer season.
Distance to riparian areas ranked highest in four of the five summer models. The authors recommended considering adjacent unused and potential habitats alongside areas currently modeled as suitable, and called for future verification of whether those places are used.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Seasonal habitat models for Marco Polo argali in Tajikistan predicted different suitable conditions for summer and winter. The authors recommended considering adjacent unused and potential areas alongside currently suitable habitat, while noting that actual use of those areas still needs verification.