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Cypriot Mouflon
The mouflon is thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern domestic sheep breeds. Originally the range stretched further to Anatolia, the Crimean peninsula and the Balkans, where they had already disappeared 3,000 years ago. Mouflon were introduced to the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, Rhodes and Cyprus during the neolithic period, perhaps as feral domesticated animals, where they have naturalized in the mountainous interiors of these islands over the past few thousand years, giving rise to the subspecies known as European mouflon (O. aries musimon). In Cyprus, Mouflon is endangered species under state law.
Cyprus, Pafos Forest, Troodos Mountain
The mouflon is featured on the symbol of Cyprus Airways, as well as on the 1, 2, and 5 cent Cypriot euro coins.
Spotted on Apr 2, 2011
Submitted on Apr 2, 2011
