Marco Polo sheep

Marco Polo sheep
Engraving of a Marco Polo sheep, c. 1883
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[Note 1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Caprinae
Tribe:	Caprini
Genus:	Ovis
Species:	O. ammon
Subspecies:	O. a. polii
Trinomial name
Ovis ammon polii Blyth, 1841[2]
Synonyms[3]
Ovis ammon poli Ovis ammon poloi Ovis ammon sculptorium Ovis ammon typica Ovis poli

The Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii) is a subspecies of argali sheep, named after Marco Polo. Their habitat are the mountainous regions of Central Asia. Marco Polo sheep are distinguishable mostly by their large size and spiraling horns. Their conservation status is "near threatened" and efforts have been made to protect their numbers and keep them from being hunted. It has also been suggested that crossing them with domestic sheep could have agricultural benefits.

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