Afghan Urial

Afghan Urial (Ovis vignei cycloceros) is found in western central Asia from northeastern

Iran and western Kazakhstan to Pakistan’s Balochistan and Ladakh. To the east they are

displaced by the bigger Argalis and to the southwest by the Asiatic Mouflons.

The habitat consists of grassy slopes below the timberline. Urials rarely move to the

rocky areas of the mountains. For example in northern Iran they produce hybrids with

Asiatic mouflon under natural conditions. Urials feed mainly on grass but are able to eat

leaves of trees and bushes if needed.

Urial males have large horns, curling outwards from the top of the head turning in to end

somewhere behind the head, females have shorter, compressed horns. The horns of the

males may grow to be up 1 meter. The average shoulder height of an adult male Urial

lies somewhere between 80 and 90 centimeters.