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Description:
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Home range and seasonal movements of Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia Pallas ) were studied from June , 1976 to April , 1978 . The study was conducted in the Dry Creek drainage of Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle region , Armstrong County , Texas .
Seven telemetry -collared sheep , 4 rams and 3 ewes , provided basic information . Data recorded for each sighting included location , range site , aspect topographic level , and activity . Weather conditions were also recorded at nine weather stations .
Marked Barbary sheep showed distinct winter and summer home ranges for both sexes . Recorded winter home range for ewes were larger than for the marked ram ; 168 to 249 ha for ewes and 98 ha for the ram . The ram's summer home range was larger than that of the ewes' , 1926 ha compared with 882 and 1595 ha , respectively . Home range area was estimated by two methods , the minimum home range method and a topographic home range method . In the latter , home ranges were delineated along contour lines of utilized topographic features .
October movements showed a dispersal from the Dry Creek summer home ranges . The greatest distance travelled was recorded for ewes , 12 .7 and 14 .5 air km from the geometric center of home ranges . The marked ewes returned to Dry Creek and occupied their previous range .
One marked ram returned to Dry Creek but only for a short period .
The Rough Breaks , one of five SCS range sites , was utilized more by Barbary sheep than other range sites and accounted for 60 percent of all sightings . This site corresponded to the precipitous mid -section of the canyon walls .
Barbary sheep favored south and west slopes over north and east slopes . North , east , south , and west aspects were utilized 15 , 16 , 24 , , and 45 percent , respectively .
Significant temperature differences were found in aspect -topography analysis during 5 months for maximum temperatures and 2 months for minimum temperatures . No general trend of aspect -topography interaction was indicated by the Duncan's Multiple Range Test , and micro -aspect was apparently unimportant to Barbary sheep in Palo Duro Canyon . |