The blue sheep inhabits steep rocky slopes at an altitude of 2,700 to 3,200 meters, occasionally entering coniferous forests and forest open areas. The blue sheep may inhabit higher altitudes in the same area. Food includes grasses, low shrubs, lycopods and lichens, and they alternate between eating and resting on grassy slopes throughout the day. In the past, they formed groups of 10 to 36, but now there are usually less than 15 due to excessive hunting. Male sheep sometimes form groups of only males, and sometimes mixed groups with female sheep and young sheep. The gestation period is about 160 days, and the calving period is in May or June. There is one baby per litter (rarely twins). The baby is weaned within 6 months and matures at 1.5 years old. It may take 7 years for the male sheep to reach its maximum size.
Conservation status: The population has declined sharply as a result of hunting. The herd size has dropped from 10-36 individuals to 3-8 individuals in 1990. It is protected by local ethnic minorities in the religious area of Baiyu, Sichuan. China RL—CR B1ab (i, ii, iii, v), China Key List—II, IUCN RL—EN A2d, B1+2e ver2.3 (1994).
