Barbary sheep are a species of Caprid and within the subfamily Caprinae. This subfamily includes sheep, goats, and ibexes. It is native to the rocky mountains of North Africa. Barbary sheep are now rare in their native North Africa, but with their introduction to North America (mainly in the southwest USA) and southern Europe, the population is very stable with hunting seasons in many areas that they inhabit.
Barbary sheep are also called by other names in areas where they were introduced, such as aoudad, a name used by the Berbers which are North African people. This name is also commonly used for Barbary sheep in Texas and the southwest areas of the United States. In Libya, this sheep is called waddan, arui, and in Spain it is called arruis.