February 23, 2013

Wild Goats and Sheep of Russia

Russia Post released a set of 6 stamp under the series Fauna of Russia of Wild goat and sheep on 30th January 2013.


Bighorn Sheep
A large cloven-hoofed mammal rather dense and powerfully built, with a low and strong limbs, thick, short neck, small head and slightly protruding from the fur tail. Bighorn sheep can reach a weight of 70-120 kg, body length of 165-175 cm, height at the withers - 90-100 cm mass horns especially large males can reach 14 pounds. They inhabit inhabit Lake Baikal, Siberia east of the Lena River, the middle and northern parts of the Far East, Kamchatka and Putorana Plateau (Norilsk mountain) on the right bank of the lower Yenisei.


Wild Goat
Progenitor of domestic goat - wild goat reaches 120-160 cm body length, it is added to the tail length of 15-20 cm height at the shoulder is 70-100 cm, weight - 25-95 kg. The females are slightly curved horns, relatively slender, 20-30 cm long, the male horns much more - up to 130 cm. Bezoar goat habitat area covers parts of West Asia and stretches from Anatolia via the Caucasus to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Bezoar goats are found in the mountains and in the desert areas and wooded areas.


Arhar
The largest representative of wild sheep - argali, whose length is 120-200 cm, height at the withers 90-120 cm, weight 65-180 kg. Depending on the size and color of the body there are several sub-types. The largest is the Pamir argali mountain sheep, or Marco Polo. Both males and females have long horns, but males may be up to 13% of body weight. Argali lives in mountainous areas of the Central Asia and southern Siberia. Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.


Caucasian Tur
In the Caucasus Mountains at an altitude of 2500-4500 meters above sea level dwells Caucasian tur. In summer, these representatives of mountain goats grazing in the meadows, in the winter part of animals is in the Highlands, others - go down to the woods. Body length of 120-180 cm, height at the withers 78-112 cm color of reddish-gray or brownish-red. Horn of adult males from the Western and Central Caucasus crescent, their ends are bent downwards and inwards.
 

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