Marco Polo, the Most Hunted Sheep in the World

JAKARTA – Marco Polo is the most hunted sheep because it is considered the largest in the world. Its condition makes the sheep a tempting target for trophy hunters.

For nearly a decade, ranchers in Montana illegally developed hybrid sheep, created with the DNA of Marco Polo sheep, to create animals for shooting and ranching reservations in Texas. On Tuesday, (26/3/2024) Popular Mechanics reported that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that one of the breeders had pleaded guilty to two counts of serious wildlife crimes.

Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. For nearly 800 years, Ovis ammon polii, known as sheep Marco Polo, has captivated the Western world. Named after the world-famous explorer who first described the sheep in the 13th century, this subspecies of argali sheep makes its home in the Pamir mountain region of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan).

This sheep is the largest wild sheep species in the world. It is 1.2 meters tall and weighs almost 150 kilograms, and grows large horns that can reach 1.8 meters in length and weigh more than 30 kilograms.

But, unfortunately, this animal’s impressive stature also makes it a prime target for hunters, and some people are willing to pay more than $40,000 for the chance.

Unfortunately, the desire to hunt these animals reached a breaking point this week, when the United States Department of Justice outlined an absolutely insane scheme to create giant hybrid sheep in the United States using genetic material extracted from illegally imported Marco Polo sheep.

The scheme was to create a Franken breed of sheep — using cloning, hybridization, and artificial insemination — for eventual sale to captive hunting operations, be they game farms or ranches. Its presence is mostly in Texas.

For nearly a decade, Montana rancher Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, along with five associates, committed several violations of the Lacey Act. First passed back in 1900, this law combats the illegal trade in wild animals.

Schubarth pleaded guilty to two serious wildlife crimes—each charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a three-year conditional period. “This was an audacious scheme to create a species of giant hybrid sheep that would be sold and hunted as a trophy,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) in a DOJ press statement.

“In pursuing this scheme, Schubarth violated international law and the Lacey Act, both of which protect the sustainability and health of native animal populations.”

(msf)