The Near Threatened Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni is distributed across the Tibetan Plateau and its peripheral mountains. Within India it occurs in Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) and Sikkim, and the population was estimated to be c. 200 in the early 1990s. Hunting of the species was banned in Jammu and Kashmir in the 1980s but the effect of this hunting moratorium on the population has not previously been assessed. We conducted surveys in the proposed Gya-Miru Wildlife Sanctuary and the neighbouring Tsokar Basin, areas reported to have a relatively high abundance of argali within Ladakh. We also opportunistically surveyed other areas and collected secondary information about the species’ occurrence in other parts of Ladakh. A total of 127 animals were counted during the surveys. Based on this number and other small populations reported earlier by us and others, we estimate a total population of 300–360 argali in Ladakh. Although past population estimates were approximate, the present estimate, which includes areas not previously surveyed, suggests there has been no substantial change in the population of argali in Ladakh since the early 1980s. Factors other than hunting therefore appear to be impeding argali population recovery in this region. Pashmina-producing goats are the most abundant livestock within the argali's range and, owing to the recent increase in demand for this fibre, the goat population is increasing and this may be hindering the recovery of the argali.

The selection of summer forage by three sympatric ungulates in the Damodar Kunda region of upper Mustang in north Nepal was studied to assess the extent of food overlap between them. To compare their diets, a micro-histological technique of faecal analysis was used, adjusted for inherent biases by comparing it with bite-count data obtained in domestic goats. Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni, naur (blue sheep or bharal) Pseudois nayaur and domestic goat Capra hircus consumed mostly forbs, graminoids and browse, respectively. The proportions of food items in their diets were significantly different both at the plant species (P<0.02) and at the forage category level (P<0.001). Except for sharing three common plants (Agrostis sp., Stipa sp. and Potentilla fruticosa), dietary overlap at the species level was quite low. At the forage category level, naur and domestic goat overlapped more than the other ungulate pairs. Although all three species were opportunistic, mixed feeders, argali was a more selective forb specialist grazer than the other two ungulates. Owing to some spatial separation and little dietary overlap, interspecific competition for summer forage was low. If animal densities increase, however, goats are expected to compete more with naur than with argali because of their more similar diets. Owing to differences in forage selection by argali and naur throughout their large geographical ranges, reflecting adaptations to local ecological conditions, inferences regarding forage competition between domestic livestock and these two wild caprins need to be made from local, site-specific studies, rather than from general diet comparisons.

Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni and blue sheep Pseudois nayaur have almost completely overlapping distributions encompassing most of the Tibetan plateau and its margins. Such a sympatric distribution of related species with similar ecological requirements implies that there is some degree of resource partitioning. This may be accomplished on the basis of habitat and/or diet separation. This study evaluated such ecological separation on the basis of physical habitat partitioning by these two sympatric ungulates in Hemis High Altitude National Park, Ladakh, India, in an area where the argali established a small new population in 1978. Such separation was tested for on the basis of expected difference between the species in their proximity to cliffs, associated with species-specific anti-predator behaviour. Tibetan argali selected habitats away from cliffs while blue sheep selected habitats close to cliffs. Blue sheep also selected steep slopes whereas argali selected gentle slopes. The two species did not differ in their use of habitats in terms of elevation. They did, however, differ in their use of plant communities; blue sheep selected sub-shrub and grass-dominated communities whilst argali selected forb-dominated communities. We suggest that the two species coexist in this site as a result of the differential use of habitat associated with their species-specific anti-predator strategies.