mountain sheep
Enable an agent to resolve what "mountain sheep" denotes, recognise relevant animals and populations, assess their condition, and identify actions supported by evidence and local authority.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
Researched by: Codex
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 30 questions
Name and taxonomic boundary Establish what biological concept the registry name denotes before attaching species facts.
Common-name resolution
Trace the registry label to its source and intended scientific concept.
Intended name referent
Record candidate interpretations without treating any as established until the originating evidence is checked.
- Does the originating registry source use "mountain sheep" for argali, another Ovis taxon, or a broader grouping? definition
- Which source record, language and geographic context support that interpretation? provenance
Taxon and record alignment
Align scientific references and distinguish the concept from its biological instances.
Verified taxonomic anchor
Attach authority, date and external identifiers only after checking their taxonomic scope.
- What accepted scientific name, authority, date and rank does the selected reference assign? provenance
- Do the GBIF and NCBI records match that concept, and does an existing Vercy world model already cover it? boundary
- Does each linked observation concern the taxon, a named population, a group or an individual? boundary
Recognition and life history Interpret visible features in relation to age, sex and plausible identification alternatives.
Field identification
Evaluate a combination of visible traits and geographic evidence.
Diagnostic trait combination
Require a referenced combination of traits rather than mountain location or horn size alone.
- Which observed horn, coat, rump and body features distinguish the candidate from local goats and other sheep? measurement
- Could age, sex, seasonal coat or an obscured viewing angle explain the apparent mismatch? boundary
Development and reproduction
Record developmental and reproductive context without assuming adult traits apply throughout life.
Life-stage-sensitive assessment
Connect age and sex estimates to their evidence and distinguish observed reproduction from inference.
- What evidence supports the animal's life stage and sex, and how reliable is the estimation method for the resolved taxon? measurement
- Are pregnancy, lactation, lamb association or breeding activity observed directly or inferred from season and grouping? measurement
Mountain habitat and movement Connect verified occurrences to seasonal resources, refuge terrain and movement routes.
Range and origin
Separate documented native range from introductions, captive locations and uncertain observations.
Occurrence context
Give each occurrence a geographic, temporal and population-origin interpretation.
- Is this locality within a documented native range for the resolved taxon, and which dated source establishes that range? provenance
- Could the record represent an introduction, captive animal, identification error or imprecise location? boundary
Seasonal resource access
Assess how terrain and seasonal conditions affect access to food, refuge and breeding areas.
Functional habitat connectivity
Record demonstrated habitat functions and movement constraints rather than assuming all mountain terrain is suitable.
- Which observations identify feeding grounds, refuge terrain, lambing areas and seasonal routes for this population? provenance
- Where do snow conditions, roads, fences or disturbance restrict access between those areas? measurement
Population condition and health Assess demographic evidence and individual health while keeping their levels of inference distinct.
Demographic evidence
Interpret abundance, group structure and recruitment through survey limitations.
Comparable population observations
Relate counts and age-sex composition to survey coverage, season and detection.
- What survey area, season, effort and detection method produced the abundance estimate? measurement
- Do repeated counts and lamb-to-adult observations support a trend after accounting for seasonal grouping and visibility? measurement
Health and contact
Document condition and possible exposure pathways with appropriate diagnostic limits.
Health triage evidence
Separate observed signs, documented contacts and confirmed veterinary findings.
- What changes in body condition, movement, breathing or mortality have been observed, and over what period? measurement
- Is contact with domestic sheep or goats documented, and what taxon-specific evidence establishes its health relevance? provenance
- Which observations warrant referral to a wildlife veterinarian or responsible authority? action
Conservation and permitted action Connect scoped conservation evidence to decisions about disturbance and intervention.
Assessment scope
Match threat assessments to the biological and geographic subject under consideration.
Dated conservation evidence
Record assessment categories and threats without transferring them across unmatched concepts.
- What IUCN assessment category and assessment year apply to the resolved taxon, if an assessment exists? provenance
- Which local evidence establishes the importance of habitat fragmentation, hunting, disturbance or disease for this population? provenance
Intervention decisions
Determine the evidence and authority required for a proposed interaction.
Action-specific constraints
Evaluate observation, sampling, handling and relocation against local rules and animal condition.
- What seasonal restrictions, approach limits and permits apply to the proposed activity at this location? action
- Before capture or relocation, what veterinary review, population-origin evidence and receiving-habitat assessment are required? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of mountain sheep this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Kinds and varieties
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of mountain sheep this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of mountain sheep this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of mountain sheep this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of mountain sheep this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of mountain sheep this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of mountain sheep this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of mountain sheep this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.LIV
What it is Filled
Mountain sheep is a common name for wild sheep of the genus Ovis associated with mountainous terrain, particularly North American bighorn and thinhorn sheep, rather than an unambiguous taxonomic designation.
In scope
- Resolution of the common name to an explicitly sourced taxonomic concept
- Identification through morphology, locality and comparison with similar animals
- Individual life stage, sex, reproductive condition and health
- Population distribution, mountain habitat use and seasonal movement
- Population threats, conservation assessments and constraints on intervention
Out of scope
- Mountain goats and other similar-looking ungulates except as identification alternatives
- Domestic sheep husbandry and breed standards except where needed to resolve the name
- Meat, wool, horns and other animal products as commodities
- Mountain landforms and protected areas as independently managed entities
- Hunting businesses, tourism operations and wildlife legislation as standalone models
Why it exists Filled
Enable an agent to resolve what "mountain sheep" denotes, recognise relevant animals and populations, assess their condition, and identify actions supported by evidence and local authority.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Require a sourced scientific-name mapping: the words "mountain sheep" alone do not establish a species.
- Compare horn curvature, horn-base form, coat pattern, rump markings and body proportions with a regional identification reference; no single feature should decide identity across all ages and sexes.
- Explicitly test identification against mountain goats and other local ungulates rather than treating occupation of steep terrain as diagnostic.
- Use locality and documented range as supporting evidence, while allowing for introductions, captivity and uncertain coordinates.
- Separate wild taxon identity from domestic breed identity and wild, feral or captive status; mountain habitat alone establishes none of these.
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Approach, chase or disturb herds, especially during lambing or in winter.
- Help anyone hunt mountain sheep outside a lawful licensed hunt.
- Bring domestic sheep or goats into contact with wild herds, which spreads disease.
- Publish precise locations of vulnerable herds in a way that invites poaching or disturbance.
Only with a human decision
- Capturing, relocating or treating wild sheep.
- Issuing or using a hunting permit.
May
- Record sightings of mountain sheep with date and location for wildlife surveys.
- Explain which wild sheep the common name covers and how they differ.
- Keep a safe distance when observing herds and report injured or sick animals to wildlife authorities.
Moral aspects Filled
- Wild sheep populations are small and vulnerable to disease, disturbance and habitat loss.
- Trophy hunting of rare sheep is contested and depends on careful regulation.
Who is affected
- The wild sheep themselves
- Indigenous and local communities
- Wildlife managers
Owners Filled
Steward
Nobody: wild animals managed by wildlife authorities under law.
Master systems
- National and regional wildlife survey databases
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q6542071 - registry parent class
- Q729 - registry parent class
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Incomplete
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.mountain-sheep
- Wikidata: Q124729032 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124729032)
Direct properties required Filled
- Taxonomic interpretation: Candidate or accepted scientific name, authority and date, taxonomic rank, reference and resolution confidence
- External taxon identifiers: Verified GBIF and NCBI identifiers, each with matched name, rank and retrieval date; unresolved where unavailable
- Biological subject level: Taxon | population | group | individual | unresolved
- Identification evidence: Dated photographs, field descriptions, locality records or genetic results linked to an identification reference
- Life stage and sex: Lamb | juvenile | adult | unresolved; female | male | unresolved; estimation method and confidence
- Horn morphology: Horn length and basal circumference in cm, curvature description, damage and measurement method
- Habitat position: Elevation in m, slope in degrees, terrain description, season and coordinate uncertainty
- Population origin and management context: Native | introduced | uncertain origin; wild | feral | captive | unresolved management context
- Body and respiratory condition: Referenced body-condition score; observed locomotion, breathing and behaviour; unknown where unassessed
- Population trend: Increasing | stable | decreasing | unknown, with survey period, method and uncertainty
- Conservation assessment: Assessment body, assessed taxon or population, category, assessment year and geographic scope
Recognition required Filled
- A stocky wild sheep with a pale rump patch living on steep, rocky slopes.
- Rams carry massive curling horns that sweep around the side of the head; ewes have short, slender horns.
- Coat ranges from brown to grey to white depending on the population.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- Resolve or flag the common-name interpretation using taxonomic references and registry provenance.
- Identify a photographed or observed animal with explicit alternatives and confidence.
- Record seasonal habitat use, group composition and movement evidence for a defined population.
- Compare repeat surveys when methods and detection uncertainty permit comparison.
- Flag observed injury, respiratory signs or livestock contact for qualified wildlife review.
- Determine whether observation, sampling, handling or relocation requires additional evidence and authorisation.
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Pneumonia passed from domestic sheep and goats can kill large parts of a herd.
- Rams can charge and injure people who approach closely in the rut.
- Animals on roads or salted highways are at risk of vehicle collisions.
Standards and interfaces required Missing, in the backlog
Not described yet. This gap is in the card backlog.
Context of use required Missing, in the backlog
Not described yet. This gap is in the card backlog.
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q124729032: mountain sheep - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Wild sheep - general description of the item
Open questions
- Does the originating registry record mean argali, another sheep taxon, or an informal grouping under "mountain sheep"?
- Which accepted scientific name, authority, date and verified GBIF and NCBI identifiers match the intended concept?
- Does an existing Vercy world model already own this concept, requiring a registry link instead of a separate publication?
- What native range and dated IUCN assessment apply once the taxonomic scope is resolved?
- Which identification criteria, seasonal habitat patterns and livestock-associated health concerns are supported specifically for the resolved taxon and populations?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q124729032/spec.json