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| Subspecies: | Unknown |
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| Est. World Population: | |
| CITES Status: | NOT LISTED |
| IUCN Status: | Near Threatened |
| U.S. ESA Status: | NOT LISTED |
| Body Length: | |
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| Jumping Ability: | (Horizontal) |
| Life Span: | in the Wild |
| Life Span: | in Captivity |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Females) |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Males) |
| Litter Size: | |
| Gestation Period: | |
Argali inhabit mountains, steppe valleys and rocky outcrops (Reading et al. 1997; Schaller 1998; Amgalanbaatar and Reading 2000; Harris 2007); they also occur in open desert habitats at the south-eastern end of its range (Reading et al. 2003, Tserenbataa et al. 2004, Reading et al. 2005), mostly preferring rolling slopes to steeper areas. Argali are sensitive to deep snow, particularly if forage is limiting; often migrating from high mountain habitats during winter, but are present all year round at lower elevations in the Gobi desert (Reading et al. 2005; Murdoch et al. 2017a, 2017b). Most argali live on alpine grasslands between 3,000-5,500 m, often descending lower in winter (particularly if snow accumulates to more than a few cm). In some areas, (e.g., Gobi desert of southern Mongolia, Karaganda area of Kazakhstan), they live in lower elevation, semi-arid areas. They generally avoid forested areas (except in Kazakhstan, where they are presumed to occupy forests because of displacement from preferred habitats, Fedosenko and Blank 2005). They prefer to occupy open areas with a gentle slope; females generally occupy steeper (cliff) terrain following lambing. Argali feed on grasses, sedges, and some herbs and lichens, and they regularly drink from open springs and rivers (Wingard et al. 2011a). Where sympatric with blue sheep they are more likely to occur in grass-dominated communities compared to the sedge-dominated communities occupied by blue sheep. Argali are gregarious and live in groups from 2-150 individuals, with aggregations of 1,000 and more individuals reported from Tajikistan (Michel and Muratov 2010; Singh et al. 2010; unpublished data ANCOT). Wolves Canis lupus and snow leopards Panthera uncia are their primary natural predator, although smaller predators feed on lambs (Reading et al. 2009). Gestation is about 160 days, and females give birth to one offspring (twins are occasionally reported in the literature, but documentation is poor). Mothers separate from the herd to give birth and remain alone with her offspring for several days. Females are sexually mature at 2 years, while males may not sexually mature until 5 years; maximum life-span is 10-13 years (Fedosenko and Blank 2005).
This species is found in northeastern Afghanistan, China (Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, possibly western Sichuan, Tibet, and Xinjiang), northern India (Ladakh and Sikkim), eastern Kazakhstan, eastern Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, northern Nepal (near the Chinese border), extreme northern Pakistan, Russia (Tuvan and Altai Republics in the Altai Mountains), eastern Uzbekistan, and eastern Tajikistan (Fedosenko and Blank 2005). There are no recent records of argali occurrence in Bhutan (Tschewang Wangchuck, pers. comm. 2008).
Afghanistan
Argali were historically present in much of the Afghan Pamirs of the Wakhan district (Habibi 1977, Petocz 1973, Petocz et al. 1978), but were not known from elsewhere in Afghanistan during recent times. They currently occupy the western section of the Big Pamirs and adjacent parts of the Wakhan Range, most of the Little Pamirs, and are often found in the Waghjir Valley as well (Harris and Winnie 2008, Schaller and Kang 2008). They are also present in the eastern portion of the Big Pamir and are currently known to be transboundary with Tajikistan (Luikart et al. 2011). They are occasionally reported from elsewhere within the upper Wakhan Corridor. These animals are considered to be O. a. polii.
China
Argali are distributed in most mountain ranges of Xinjiang (Yu et al. 1999), including the Altai Shan, Arjin Shan, Kara-Kunlun Shan, Pamirs, and Tian Shan and associated ranges. Some authorities consider all these argali except those in the Pamirs to be O. a. karelini; others sub-divide these into other subspecies. Within the ranges of the Tibetan Plateau, argali are distributed discontinuously and irregularly (Liu and Yin 1993; Schaller 1998; Schaller et al. 2007; Harris 2007). Although present in ranges from the Himalaya to the Qilian Shan in Gansu, argali on the Tibetan Plateau appear to be rare where temperatures are exceedingly low, winter snows deep, and/or precipitation amounts too low to support grass (Harris 2007). However, relatively healthy populations occur in the Qilian and Kunlun Mountains of Gansu and Qinghai (although from written accounts, argali are rare in the drier, western portions of the Kunlun Shan (Feng 1990; G. Schaller, unpublished data 2001)). Chinese sources report the species as present in extreme western Sichuan (Wang 2002) but recent documentation of this is weak. Most authors consider argali on the Tibetan Plateau (including the Qilian Shan in Gansu) O. a. hodgsoni, although some Chinese authors consider O. a. hodgsoni limited to southern Tibet, and consider argali north of that to be O. a. dalailamae. Argali are patchily distributed in Inner Mongolia (Bu et al. 1998), but Harris et al. (2009) found that argali have been lost from at least two areas considered to contain remnant populations during the 1990s by Wang and Schaller (1996): the Helan Shan and the Lang Shan mountain ranges. Disturbance and habitat degradation in a 3rd area, the Mazong Shan range, has likely caused the disappearance of argali there as well; small numbers of argali persist in the Yabrai (Yubulai) Shan range, the Hada Shan area and the Erenuo’ersumu region of Sunitezuo Banner. They are historically known from parts of Shaanxi and Ningxia Provinces (in the Helan Shan, which forms Ningxia’s western border with Inner Mongolia), but recent records suggest that they no longer occur in either of these provinces (Liu Zhensheng, Gong Minghao pers. comm., 2008). These animals are variously described as O. a. darwini or O. a. jubata. Harris et al. (2009) believe that O. a. jubata, as a subspecies with unique adaptations, has become extirpated and they did not know of any credible reports of argali from south of the Yellow River within recent historical times. Argali have long been extirpated from the provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Hebei.
India
Within India, argali are restricted to the eastern plateau of Ladakh and Hemis National Park in Central Ladakh. There are occasional reports of one-two individuals moving into the neighboring area in Spiti (Himachal Pradesh) (Khanyari et al. 2019), and, separately, in northern Sikkim adjacent to Tibet (Chanchani et al. 2010). Indian biologists consider these animals O. a. hodgsoni. In Ladakh potential argali habitat was estimated at ca. 11,000 km2 (Chundawat and Qureshi 1999), however much of it remained unoccupied (Bhatnagar and Wangchuk 2001). Key sites with argali in Ladakh included the Tso Kar basin, near Chumur, Kharnak, Phobrang and in the upper Indus Valley (near Skagzung), with very small populations scattered elsewhere (Bhatnagar and Wangchuk 2001, Namgail et al. 2009). A few individuals are known to occasionally visit the Kibber area of Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, while relatively large populations are also likely in the Tsarap Chu region of Himachal (Abhishek Ghoshal, pers. comm, 2019). The Tso Lhamo plateau is a relatively small area in the northern part of Sikkim but harbours a fairly large population of argali (Chanchani et al. 2010).
Kazakhstan
In Kazakhstan, argali (usually considered O.a. collium) are present in the central Kazakhstan Low Hills (Melkosopochnik) and in the Tarbagatay and Saur in the northeastern part of the country at the border with China. Wang (1998) listed the argali on the Chinese side of the border adjacent to the range of O. a collium in Kazakhstan as O. a. karelini. Small populations are also present in the Kara-Tau Mountains (O. a. nigrimontana, although Shakula (2000) raised doubts about the validity of this subspecies), and (O. a. karelini) in the ranges of the western (Weinberg et al. 1997) and northern Tian Shan (CMS 2014). Some experts believe O. severtzovi has been extirpated from Kazakhstan (N. Beshko, pers. comm.). Ishunin (1970) wrote that the subspecies historically inhabited the Beltau Mountains and eastern portions of the Aktau range. But the location of the Beltau makes such occurrence unlikely, while all mountain ranges with the name “Aktau” within the potential range area are currently entirely in Uzbekistan. In the Soviet Union in the 1950s, the borders between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were modified and range area and available habitat suggest that Severtzov argali never occurred on the territories nowadays belonging to Kazakhstan, but possibly in areas transferred to Uzbekistan.
Kyrgyzstan
In Kyrgyzstan, argali are present in the southeastern and eastern quarter of the country toward the Chinese border from Kazakhstan in the north to Tajikistan in the south, as well as along portions of the western Tian Shan toward the Uzbek border (Fedosenko and Blank 2005) and the northern Tien Shan along the border with Kazakhstan. Animals in southern and southeastern Kyrgyzstan are usually considered O. a. polii; some authorities consider those in northern Kyrgyzstan O. a. karelini, but geographic and morphological separation remains unclear, with often the Naryn River taken as boundary between the range areas of the subspecies. Kashkarov (2010) suggested that the Fergana Range may divide the two subspecies. Davletbakov (pers. comm. 2014) suggests that the Alay Valley in the south of Kyrgyzstan is the most substantial natural barrier limiting connectivity between argali populations and that argali north of the Alay Valley more likely belong to O. a. karelini. In the Southwest of the country, on the northern slope of the Turkestan Range of the Pamir Alay System, in Batken Region, argali skulls have been collected in 2007 and 2013 (collector A. N. Ostashchenko) which resemble O. a. severtzovi. In May 2011 Severtzov Argali have been observed in Batken region (Davletbakov and Musaev 2012).
Mongolia
Argali (O. a. ammon and O. a. darwini) are distributed widely, but patchily across a large portion of Mongolia. Historically, argali occurred in disjunct populations across all, but eastern Mongolia, in areas with rolling hills, mountains, rocky outcrops, canyons, and plateaus (Amgalanbaatar and Reading 2000, 2003; Reading et al. 2001). Argali appeared to be expanding their distribution in eastern Mongolia, but contracting and becoming even more fragmented in western Mongolia (Mallon et al. 1997; Amgalanbaatar and Reading 2000; Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002a, 2002b; Clark et al. 2006). Large areas formerly occupied by argali in western Mongolia now lack the species. The species’ current distribution includes portions of the Altai, Trans-Alai, Gobi-Altai, Khangai, Khentie, and Khovsgol Mountain ranges, as well as isolated areas in the Gobi Desert (Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002b, Clark et al. 2006). More specifically, isolated populations exist in the mountains of the Mongolian Altai and Gobi Altai Mountains, primarily the western and southern Khangai Mountains, near the source of the Arsain River in the Khovsgol Mountains, and the southernmost Khentii Mountains. Other populations persist patchily in the Dzungarian Gobi, Great Gobi, Trans-Altai Gobi, Alashan Gobi, Middle Gobi, and eastern Gobi (Bannikov 1954; Dulamtseren 1970; Sokolov and Orlov 1980; Reading et al. 1997, 2001; Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002a, 2002b; Fedosenko and Blank 2005; Clark et al. 2006)).
Nepal
Argali (usually considered O. a. hodgsoni) are known from the Damodar Kunda area of Mustang District, bordering Tibet (Shrestha et al. 2005). They may also persist in the Dolpo region, north of the Dhualagiri Range (Wegge and Oli 1997).
Pakistan
Argali in Pakistan (considered O. a. polii) are known only from Khunjerab National Park (KNP) and environs, including the Khunerab, Kilik and Mintaka passes with China (Hess et al. 1997, Haider et al. 2018, Khan and Khan n.d.). In Pakistan, argali now occurs only in one small watershed, in Khunjerab National Park, bordering China, which animals visit sporadically during summer (Ali et al. 2017). The visitation showed drastic decline over 20 years, possibly due to fencing at the Sino-Pakistan border and dietary competition with wild herbivores (Haider et al. 2018). It is unknown whether argali also use the mountains separating these areas from Afghanistan’s Little Pamir to the northwest.
Russia
Argali (considered O. a. ammon) were formerly found in Zabaikal, Kuray, and the South-Chuya ranges and the Ukok plateau (Weinberg et al. 1997). More recently, they are known only from Tuva and Altai Republics (Weinberg et al. 1997; Paltsyn 2001; Maroney 2004; Paltsyn et al. 2011).
Tajikistan
Argali (O. a. polii) are present through most of the eastern third of Tajikistan (Lushchekina 1994, Weinberg et al. 1997, Schaller and Kang 2008, Michel and Muratov 2010), from the border with Xinjiang, China, in the south along the border with Afghanistan west to Langar, in the center west to Sarez Lake, and along the border with Kyrgyzstan west to Altyn Mazar. In the northwest of the country, Severtzov argali O. a. severtzovi have been documented by skulls and reports from local people in 2011 and by direct observations in 2014 (data by NBCUT and Tajikistan Mountain Ungulates Project) on the southern slopes of western Turkestan Range near the border with Uzbekistan and in the upper Zerafshan Valley in both, Turkestan and Zerafshan ranges. Severtzov argali O. a. severtzovi have been documented by skulls and reports from local people in 2011 and by direct observations in 2014 (data by NBCUT and Tajikistan Mountain Ungulates Project). In the western Turkestan Range in fall 2015 an argali ram was captured in fall 2018 (Michel, pers. comm. by Zerafshan National Park ranger 2018) and a hunting outfitter advertised in social media an alleged Severtzov argali killed from Tajikistan in February 2015. Searches in 2018 and 2019 in the upper Zerafshan Valley did not yield any records and argalis are possibly extirpated there now (unpublished data by NBCUT and Tajikistan Mountain Ungulates Project).
Uzbekistan
O. ammon severtzovi was previously distributed over a wide area of Uzbekistan from the northeastern part of the Pamiro-Alaya mountain range thoughout the low mountains of the Kyzylkum Desert. Historically, it occupied the mountains of Nuratau, Aktau, Koytash, Malguzar and Turkenstan Range as well as Pistalitau, Tamdytau, Bukantua, Kuldjuktau, and other low ranges in the Kyzylkum Desert (Ishunin 1970; N. Beshko, pers. comm.). Today, the majority of animals are restricted to the Nuratau Range, primarily within the Nuratau Strictly Protected Area and a small population in the western part of this mountain range (N. Beshko pers. comm. 2019). Very small populations persist (N. Beshko, pers. comm. 2019) in the Turkestan, western Aktau, Tamdytau (confirmed by Grytsina et al. 2015), and possibly Malguzar ranges, but not any more permanently in the Koytash Mountains. Previously, O. a. karelini also occurred in the western Tien Shan in Uzbekistan, but no records are known for the last several decades (S. Zagrebin, pers. comm. 2018).
Afghanistan
A trophy hunting program for argali in the Big Pamir operated from ~ 1966-1978, but was discontinued following the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, and to date, has not been re-established. Under this program, livestock grazing in high elevation habitats favoured by argali during summer was effectively prohibited, and poaching by local pastoralists reduced. However, domestic livestock grazing was concentrated on argali winter ranges, with the result that the overall effect on argali habitat of the hunting program was unclear (Petocz et al. 1978). All hunting in Afghanistan was banned by order of President in 2006. In addition, argali is specifically listed as a protected species under Article 47 of the Environment Law of 2007. There do not, however, appear to be serious effort so to enforce the ban. In 2009, argali were officially-listed as a Protected Species in Afghanistan, strictly prohibiting all hunting and trading of this species within the country. The distribution of argali in Afghanistan is entirely within the Wakhan National Park, established in 2014. The national park allows for the continuation of pastoral land use.
China
Argali are classified as a Category II “key species” under the Chinese National Wildlife Law of 1988. As such, permits to take argali must be obtained from province-level authorities. In practice, only the trophy hunting programs have procured permits to take argali under this legislation (Harris 2007).
Argali occur in a number of Chinese nature reserves. In Xinjiang, they occur in at least six nature reserves in Xinjiang (Du and Zhang 2006), including Arjin Shan, Kalamaili, Source of the 2 Altai Rivers (Altai mountains), West Tian Shan, Hami Shan (Tian Shan range) and Taxkorgan (Pamirs). On the Tibetan Plateau, argali occur in the 247,120 km² Qiangtang Reserve in Tibet and the 83,000 km² Kekexili Reserve in Qinghai, as well as in scattered populations within the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve in Qinghai (Schaller et al. 2007). In Gansu, argali occur in Yanchiwan Nature Reserve, and may occur in the Qilian Nature Reserve. Nature reserve designation in China does not necessarily preclude habitat conflicts, as grazing, mining, and other activities often take place.
A number of trophy hunting areas have been established with argali as the focal species. Hunting areas in Xinjiang include Baicheng, Bu’erjin, Fuyun, Hami, Hejing, Qiemo, Tacheng, Tashiku’ergan, and Tulufan counties; in Gansu in Aksai and Subei counties (Subei’s consisted of two distinct areas, the Hashiha’er area in the Qilian Mountains and the Mazong Shan area in the Gobi Desert abutting Mongolia). In addition, two hunting areas in Qinghai Province, focusing primarily on blue sheep, have argali populations: Dulan (within separate townships, Balong and Gouli) and Maduo counties. One hunting area in Inner Mongolia (Yabulei) contains argali. Hunting areas in China have generally succeeded in reducing poaching and in generating some local enthusiasm for argali, but have not yet succeeded in treating habitat conflicts (Harris and Pletscher 2002; Harris 2007). Since 2006, China has suspended argali trophy hunting.
India
Argali are listed under Schedule I (highest protection) of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) of the Government of India (Fox and Johnsingh 1997). Poaching appears to have declined in recent years (Namgail 2004), but has evidently not been accompanied by an increase in argali. Little seems to have been done to address the likely deleterious effects of displacement increasing numbers of livestock on argali in Ladakh. Argali are rare but present in Khangchengzonga National Park in Sikkim and the Tso Lhamo plateau, where there is some threat from yaks and other livestock (Sharma and Lachungpa 2003). Bhatnagar and Wangchuk (2001) felt that even though most of the argali range in Ladakh is protected under the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary (ca. 10,000 km2) and part of the Hemis National Park (ca. 4,000km2), the small and fragmented populations may have poor chances of recovery in a scenario where livestock pressure persists. Recent surveys, however, point to recovery of argali in small pockets of eastern Ladakh that may be due to locally declining pastoral use by the nomads opting for alternative livelihoods (M. Khanyari, pers. comm, 2020). A positive development for all mountain areas in India is the implementation of a national landscape-level, participatory strategy called the Project Snow Leopard, which is bringing in better planning, training and funds for conservation of species in both protected and unprotected areas of the Himalaya.
Kazakhstan
The species is listed in the Red Book and thereby legally protected from any take. Hunting permits are issued only by particular governmental decree following a special procedure, but there have been no legal hunts since 2003. Fedosenko (1999b) considered that some of the hunting concessions in Karaganda Oblast protected argali well. Between 1990 and 2000, 75 argali rams were shot in the Karaganda area, and the approximately $900,000 earned was used for scientific studies, according to Fedosenko (1999b). However, Fedosenko (1999b) also believed that trophy hunting was having deleterious effects on breeding behavior and resultant productivity of females, and recommended a reduction in the yearly offtake quota. Currently the lack of hunting options for argali is a disincentive to their protection and the conservation of their habitats (Shaymukhambetov et al. 2018). Trends in habitat conflicts with domestic livestock in Kazakhstan have not been well documented.
Kyrgyzstan
Argali is listed in the Red Book of the Kyrgyz Republic and thus legally protected. Only a limited number of permits are issued annually to private hunting concessions (Michel and Rosen 2016). The Sarychat-Ertash Strictly Protected Area is the habitat of an argali population shared with adjacent hunting concessions.
Mongolia
Argali sheep are protected as “Rare” under the 2001 revision (Mongolian Government Act No. 264) of the 2000 Mongolian Law on Animals (Wingard and Odgerel 2002). General hunting of argali has been prohibited since 1953, and is the species is further protected as “Rare” under the 1995 Mongolian Hunting Law (Wingard and Odgerel 2002). Argali are included in Appendix II of CITES (UNEP-WCMC, 2006), with an export quota of 80 hunting trophies with horns and 44 skins and horns in 2005. Altai argali (O. a. ammon) were listed as Rare” in both the 1987 and 1997 Mongolian Red Books, and the species was upgraded to “Endangered” in Mongolia in the most recent nationwide assessment (Clark et al. 2006). Approximately 14% of the species’ range in Mongolia occurs within federal protected areas, including Altai Taivan Bogd National Conservation Park (NCP), Gobi Gurvan Saikhan NCP, Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area (SPA) sections A and B, Ikh Nart NR, Khokh Serkh SPA, Khoredal Saridag SPA, Khustai Nuruu NCP, Myangan Ugalzat National Conservation Park, Siilkhem SPA, Tsagaan Shuvuut SPA, Tsambagarav SPA, and Turgen Uul SPA (Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002b). Small populations likely occur in other federal and provincial (aimag) or county (soum) protected areas as well.
Although protected from general hunting, trophy hunters can purchase licenses. Under the Mongolian Hunting Fee Law of 1995, revenue generated from argali trophy hunting is divided among the federal government’s general funds (70%), the local province (20%), and the hunting organization (10%); specifically, US$ 18,000 for O. a. ammon trophies and US$ 9,000 for O. a. darwini trophies is allocated to local and federal governments (Wingard and Odgerel 2002). Ostensibly this money should benefit local people, government agencies, and help implement important conservation actions for argali and the ecosystems they inhabit, but unfortunately, little of this money makes it back to local people or to the conservation of the species (Amgalanbaatar and Reading 2000, Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002a, Wingard and Zahler 2006, Reading and Amgalanbaatar 2016). Indeed, because local governments generally receive no additional revenue from trophy hunting (the federal government simply reduces payments to local governments that receive trophy hunting permits), many local governments are actively establishing protected areas to prevent future hunting (Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002a, Reading and Amgalanbaatar 2016). Recent reforms to Mongolian trophy hunting practices have led to proposals for community-based wildlife management programmes (Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002a, Reading and Amgalanbaatar 2016). Initial efforts by WWF-Mongolia, the Argali Wildlife Research Center, Denver Zoological Foundation, and local governments stalled; however, after initiation of a Global Environment Facility Project in the region and no progress has been made in recent years.
WWF and the Ministry of Nature and Environment organised a workshop on ‘Conservation of Argali in Mongolia’ in 2000 that resulted in a Argali Conservation Management Plan in 2002. However, this plan has not yet been adopted by the government and is not being implemented.
Mongolia’s Argali Wildlife Research Centre, Denver Zoological Foundation, and Mongolian Academy of Sciences cooperate on a number of conservation and research projects, including an interdisciplinary research and conservation project in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Dornogobi Aimag in cooperation with the Dalanjargal Soum Administration. That work, begun in the late 1990s, has resulted in several publications (e.g., Amgalanbaatar and Reading 2000, 2003; Reading et al. 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009; Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002a, 2002b, 2006, 2012; Tserenbataa et al. 2004; Wingard 2005; Singh et al. 2010; Wingard et al. 2011a, 2011b; Bragin et al. 2017; Murdoch et al. 2017a, 2017b; Rosenbaum et al. 2019), development of ecotourism to support conservation, a broad conservation education program, and active conservation management of the reserve by the Dalanjargal Soum Administration.
Additional conservation measures are desperately required in Mongolia. Clark et al. (2006) outlined the following:
• Implement the recommendations outlined in the Argali Conservation Management Plan, update the plan regularly and monitor its implementation, in particular in all hunting areas.
• Improve enforcement of existing legislation that would help conserve argali.
• Enhance conservation management in protected areas where argali are found at high population densities, and increase the capacity of protected areas personnel and other environmental law enforcement officers.
• Work to improve the livelihoods of local communities in areas where argali are protected by local initiatives and re-initiate community-based approaches to argali conservation (Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002a).
• Develop public education programmes to raise awareness of the status of and threats to the species.
• Continue ecological research, monitor population trends, and study the impacts of threats, including work in the Altai and Khangai Mountains to complement research occurring in the Gobi Desert.
• Implement the recommendations from the Mongolian Wildlife Trade Workshop as outlined in Wingard and Zahler (2006).
Major revisions to argali trophy hunting practices in Mongolia as outlined in Amgalanbaatar et al. (2002a) and Reading and Amgalanbaatar (2016) could generate substantial revenue for conservation and ensure that local people benefit, greatly benefitting argali conservation. However, the barriers to changing the way trophy hunting is managed and implemented in Mongolia are formidable.
Pakistan
Working with local people in the Khunjerab area toward mutually agreeable conservation solutions has been a contentious issue for many years. Successful resolution of competing claims with concerns for the interests of argali will ultimately be beneficial for conservation.
Russia
Argali are listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation, and hunting is legally banned; it is unclear how effective this legal protection is. Argali occur in the Altaisky Zapovednik, but most argali in the Russian Federation are outside of protected areas. Both Weinberg et al. (1997) and Paltsyn (2001) suggested expanding the area under protected area status in the area. Weinberg et al. (1997) suggested that the eastern portion of Sailguem Ridge near the Mongolian border could be a possible new protected area, as well as in the upper reaches of the Chagan-Burgazy River. Paltsyn (2001) noted that WWF has developed a long-term program to promote sustainable development in the Altai-Sayan region, which could have benefits for argali.
Tajikistan
Argali occur in Pamir National Park (26,000 km²), and the Zorkul Zapovednik (870 km²), although neither protected area is fully functional (Schaller and Kang 2008). Argali have generally benefited from the substantial reduction in domestic livestock grazing in the high-elevation Pamirs following Tajikistan’s independence in 1991 (Fedosenko 1999a). Trophy hunting began in 1987, the same year that local hunting was prohibited (Fedosenko 1999b). Argali are legally protected and quotas for trophy hunts are issued by the Government, numbering 40-80/year (Schaller and Kang 2008, Michel and Rosen, 2016). There are reports that additional animals are sometimes sold beyond the official quotas. However, poaching, by pastoralists, military, and border guards have been major threats – in part due to the civil war of the mid 1990s – and continue to be in less extent. Protection from excessive human mortality and human disturbance appears to be well controlled by hunting concessions in the southeastern corner, somewhat less so in other portions of argali range (Schaller 2003). Trophy hunts represent a substantial source of revenue that could be used for argali conservation; this appears to be occurring in some hunting concessions within Tajikistan, but not in others (Schaller 2003, Michel and Rosen 2016). Since 2013 a community-based group developed game management area in the northern part of Alichur Pamir; revenues from hunting, tourism and conservation grants were used to prevent poaching and reduce livestock competition, resulting in an increase of argali numbers in this area.
Uzbekistan
Severtzov’s argali are protected with the Nuratau Strictly Protected Area and a few individuals possibly survive in the Zaamin Strictly Protected Area, which however due to its location in the border zone had been of limited effectiveness since the 1990s. The species is included in the Red Book of Uzbekistan and protected from general hunting, although limited trophy hunting is permitted and occurs irregularly with up to 5 permits per year. Unfortunately, little law enforcement to prevent poaching occurs outside of the protected areas. Support for anti-poaching and improvement of pasture use are crucial.