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The snow sheep is a type of mountainous bovid residing in the frosty wilderness of Siberia. It is a close relative of the North American bighorn sheep, and is often called the "Siberian bighorn" as a result. The expert opinion is that when the Bering land bridge was still extant, wild sheep endemic to north America travelled from their home continent to Asia, settling in the mountains of Siberia. When the connection between the two continents vanished, the sheep that resided in America evolved into the American bighorn, while their Asian neighbours became the modern snow sheep.

Like most bovids, the snow sheep is a herbivore -- and also a favourite snack of local carnivores, including grey wolves and wolverines. In addition to evading their hungry predators, snow sheep endure the perilous Siberian winter by their lonesome, descending to the southern slopes of mountain ranges when the snowfall and fierce winds pick up. Although they're very cute (just like the Friend herself!), they're real troopers!

Snow sheep rut (a vital part of mating season) between December and January of every year, meaning that ewes give birth to a single snow lamb around June of that year, just in time for the snow to start melting and tasty foliage to grow. In spite of the harsh climate and predation by other animals, the snow sheep continues to thrive and is considered "Least Concern" by the IUCN.

However, not all is rosy in the frozen world of the snow sheep. The animal is vulnerable to local hunting (and poaching), and due to its relatively small numbers and limited geographic range, a sudden introduction of overhunting could mean a swift decline of some of the snow sheep's more obscure subspecies. Truly, they are a beauty best left beheld from a distance, like the icy mountains of Siberia themselves.