Sheep are valuable pets. They became a source of not only dairy and meat products, but also wool, which is used to make clothes, shoes, and felt. Animals were domesticated several thousand years ago, and there are many options for their origin. Let's look at who the ancestor of the modern sheep is, theoretical assumptions of domestication, and where they live.
History of domestication
People were raising sheep 8,000 years ago. This is evidenced by drawings found on the walls of grave buildings. 1000 BC e.used animal hair to make fabrics. The first mentions of sheep were found in the writings of Aristotle. According to the described characteristics, the animal was similar to the modern Tsigai variety. Species with white fur were common in the territories of the Spanish, Greek, and Italian states. The now famous merino sheep were bred from them. Since the 19th century in France, farmers began to improve the characteristics of coarse wool sheep, producing a number of breeds familiar to farmers.
What animals did domestic sheep come from?
The first sheep arose from wild species, but the clear source of origin is unknown. There are a number of breeds that are similar to their domesticated relatives in exterior characteristics and performance.
Wild mouflon
It has the following subtypes: European and Asian. It is distinguished by good quality wool and the original shape of the horns, which hunters keep as a trophy. The ancestor of the sheep has the following characteristics:
- height – up to 95 cm, length – up to 150 cm;
- short hair grows on the powerful body, the color changes seasonally: reddish in summer, darkens in winter;
- black stripe along the back;
- weight of females – up to 45 kg, males – up to 80 kg;
- powerful horns turned to the sides;
- life expectancy is about 15 years.
Argali
Listed in the Red Book, it is considered the largest species of mountain sheep. Description of the classic argali:
- height – up to 125 cm, length – up to 200 cm;
- a stately shortened body with a developed chest;
- the color is yellow or yellow-brownish, darkens in the cold season;
- the weight of a male sometimes reaches 200 kg, a female – 100 kg;
- sickle-shaped horns, total size – up to 60 cm;
- The approximate lifespan is about 15 years; in artificially created conditions, the animal lives up to 18-20 years.
Argali
They are also called Altai mountain sheep. Main characteristics of argali:
- height – up to 125 cm, length – up to 200 cm;
- the body is shortened, with thin but strong limbs;
- color varies, from light red to brownish-brown;
- there are dark stripes on the sides;
- the abdominal region and muzzle are lighter than the entire body;
- weight of an adult male – up to 200 kg, female – up to 100 kg;
- spiral-shaped horns, total length – up to 150 cm, weight – up to 35 kg, diameter – up to 55 cm;
- life expectancy is about 15 years.
Habitat of wild ancestors
The wild ancestors of the sheep live in mountainous areas. They spend summer time on the slopes, and in winter they go down to the foot of the mountains. Animal Habitat:
- Mouflon. It lives on the mountainous Mediterranean coasts: Sardinia, Cyprus, Armenia, Corsica, Iraq.
- Argali. Distributed in Central Asia, in Mongolian, Kazakh territories, in mountainous Tibetan, Himalayan, and Nepalese areas.
- Altai mountain sheep. Concentrated in the areas of the Altai, Tuvan, and Mongolian mountain ranges.
As a result of selection experiments of wild breeds and domestic sheep, healthy animals capable of living for a long time were bred, confirming the greater possibility of kinship.
Origin theories
During a long study of the evolution of domestic sheep, experts disagreed. Some believe that only one representative is the ancestor - the mouflon. The rest suggest the sheep are related to several varieties, namely argali and argali.
The research revealed significant differences between wild representatives and domestic sheep:
- Limb length. Domestic sheep have short limbs, while wild ones have longer ones.
- Type of body structure.Wild sheep have a slender build with clearly defined muscle definition. The body of domestic representatives is rounded.
- Wool. Domestic ones have high-quality soft fleece. Wild representatives have coarse fur, consisting of awns and dead hairs.
- Sense organs. In wild sheep they are much more developed.
The differences between domestic sheep and their wild ancestors appeared as a result of evolution and selection work. The topic of the origin of sheep is still open. Work to find the sheep's ancestors continues.