Ecology Of Blue Sheep (Pseudois Nayaur) In Helan Mountains, China

Blue sheep or bharal (Pseudois nayaur) is one of wild ungulates of the subfamily Caprinae genus Pseudois (Artiodactyla, Bovidae). Blue sheep is endemic to Tibetan Plateau, and is listed in the second grade nationally protected animals of China. It is distributed in the Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Shanxi Provinces and Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Ningxia, Tibet Autonomous Regions of China, as well as in Nepal, Pakistan, India, Sikkim, Kashmir, and Mongolia. The Helan Mountain region is one of centralized areas of blue sheep's distribution. The sheep population from this region is believed to be an isolated geographical population. The Helan Mountain region is surrounded by Yinchuan City, deserts, and Yellow River. Consequently, the population density of blue sheep is only related to the number of births and deaths without immigration and emigration in the large scale. The blue sheep population has been a relatively stable increase in the Helan Mountian region for the twenties years. Increasing sheep population indicated that blue sheep is dominant species in Helan Mountains. This phenomenon possibly results in the decline or elimination of other ungulates, and grassland degradation etc. Therfore, the further understanding of activity rhythm, food habits, habitats, population density and its changes of blue sheep is essential before any management efforts are initiated by the reserve.We have been carrying out a special project in ecology of blue sheep in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia Helan Mountian National Nature Reserves since October 2003. We also compared the data from this study with those from 1994, 1995, and 1996. This report aims to describe the activity rhythms and activity budgets of wild and captive blue sheep, food habits and seasonal variations, life tables with different periods and their mechanics, population density and its changes over time, selection of feeding and bedding habitats and seasonal viariations, and so on. The conclusion will provide for the conservation and management of this species.There are some results as follow:1. The daytime activity budgets of blue sheep in Suyukou National Park, Helan...