Marco Polo

Famous for its magnificent spiraling horns, Marco Polo is known as the King of Wild Sheep. With an average span of 55 inches, its horns are the longest of any sheep; the longest Marco Polo horns ever recorded measure 6 feet 2 inches and weigh 60 pounds! Only the male’s horns develop rings that reveal their age; there’s no way to determine a female's age. This tall, long-legged “running” sheep stands about 44 inches high at the shoulder and can weigh up to 300 pounds. Its range covers the high valleys and rocky ridges of Central Asia, from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and western China. Named after the 13th-century explorer Marco Polo, who documented his encounters along the Silk Road. Tragically, because its horns are so highly prized by hunters, this species is nearly extinct.