Bovidae in Chinese mythology from Kashmir to Iran, including much desert country characteristic of the historic Western Regions. The European mouflon ("Ovis musimon") is thought to be the ancestor of the modern domestic sheep ("Ovis aries"), and was historically herded by the Xiong Nu, and other population groups located in or near China. The domestic goat ("Capra aegagrus hircus") is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. Another species historically found wild in parts of China include the serow and the goral. This group includes various miscellaneous species, including gazelles. Species which have historically ranged in
European mouflon and birthing takes place in March/April. One or two lambs are born, the suckling time is about six months. The escape behaviour of European mouflon is adapted to their actual high mountain habitat: in case of danger, they flee to inaccessible rock faces. In the lowlands, they can only escape short distances and become easy prey for pursuers. It is unclear whether the European mouflon became largely extinct in Europe as a result of its habitats being cut off and through over-hunting between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago and survived only in Corsica and Sardinia, or whether it was only