# Aoudad (*Ammotragus lervia*) Aoudads are strong, wild sheep that live in rocky mountains and deserts. They have big curved horns and a sandy coat that helps them blend in with their surroundings. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Mountain regions - **Also known as:** Barbary Sheep ![Aoudad](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Two_Barbary_sheep.JPG&width=800) Photo: User:Laurita, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Two_Barbary_sheep.JPG) ## Appearance The Aoudad is a large, sturdy wild sheep with a sandy to reddish-brown coat that provides excellent camouflage. It has a distinctive, long, shaggy mane of hair on its throat, chest, and front legs. Both males and females possess short, broad, ridged horns that curve gracefully backward. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Bovidae - **Genus:** Ammotragus ## Interesting facts - Aoudad horns can grow over 75 centimeters long, curving backward over their head! - Aoudads use their strong horns to clear snow from rocks to find food. - Baby Aoudads can stand and walk just minutes after being born! - They are sometimes called 'Barbary Sheep' because they live in the Atlas Mountains. ## Special abilities - **Rock Climbing Grip:** Aoudad can climb incredibly steep cliffs because of their specially adapted hooves, which provide amazing grip on rocky surfaces. - **Desert Thirst Quencher:** Aoudad can live for long periods without drinking water, getting all the moisture they need from the plants they eat. - **Camouflage Master:** Aoudad has sandy-brown fur that helps them perfectly blend into the rocky, arid landscapes, making them hard to spot. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 150-185 cm - **Weight:** 30-145 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-2 - **Gestation:** 150-160 days ## Diet & Feeding Aoudads are plant-eaters, munching on grasses, shrubs, and leaves found in dry places. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, shrubs, acacia leaves, herbaceous plants, desert succulents - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — Leopards are a natural predator in their native African range. - **Eaten by:** [Caracal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/caracal) (*Caracal caracal*) — Young Aoudads can be prey for swift and powerful caracals. - **Eaten by:** Striped Hyena (*Hyaena hyaena*) — Striped Hyenas may scavenge on or hunt Aoudads. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Horned](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/horned): Characterized by having one or more hard, permanent, pointed projections on the head. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Aoudads are wild animals, so it's best to watch them from a distance and not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Aoudad? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Aoudad? 150-185 cm ### How much does Aoudad weigh? 30-145 kg ### How long does Aoudad live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Aoudad move? 50 km/h ### What does Aoudad eat? Aoudads are plant-eaters, munching on grasses, shrubs, and leaves found in dry places. ### Where is Aoudad usually found? Mountain regions ### How does Aoudad hunt? Grazing ## Where to spot - [Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chihuahuan-desert-research-institute) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Homer Wilson Ranch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/homer-wilson-ranch) — Texas, US · Historic Site - [The Caverns Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-caverns-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District [View all places to see Aoudad](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/aoudad) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Aoudad: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/aoudad)