This study fails to find qualitative differences in courtship (ie intra-and intersexual interactions), according to male age in mouflon Ouis gmelini musimon (Pallas, 1811). Conversely, clear age differences arose concerning the proportion of time males dedicated to reproductive and non-reproductive activities. During the rut, males spent less time feeding, and more time scanning and in male-male interactions as age increased. Young males (< 2 years old) interacted much less agonistically with other males and courted females twice less than oldest males (> 7 years old). So male behavioral maturation does not only depend on age but could also be influenced by demographic constraints, ie presence of old dominant males. The male reproductive effort, however, seemed independent of the presence of old dominant males, which could reflect a developmental constraint. Young males would not have enough energy reserves because of growth to dedicate as much time as mature males to reproduction, even in the absence of these latter.

1t was tested whether male courtship induces changes in activities in female mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon x Ovis sp.) due to the promiscuous mating system. For females in the presence of males, we expected a higher involvement in social interactions, reduced time spent feeding, increased time standinglscanning and moving, and a higher rate and leve! of act transition and diversity. We tested these hypotheses by comparing mouflon ewe activities in mixed-sex, mating (one estrous female with at !east one adult male) and female groups during the pre-rut (16-31/0ct.), the rut (01-30/Nov.) and the post-rut (01-15/Dec.). Females devoted more time to feeding and 1ess to standing/scanning from the pre-to the post-rut, in mixed and female groups. At the same time, act transition and diversity decreased in female groups. Females could experience reduced appetite during the oestrus period but ecological factors (better quality and higher abundance of food) may explain these results.Differences between mixed-sex and female groups were found only during the full-rut. Females devoted more time to standing/scanning and Jess to feeding in mixed-sex groups. Although significant, the percent of time dedicated to feeding and standing/scanning was weakly related to the interaction frequency. So the presence of males seems to have a low incidence on female activities, as seen through the low leve! of social interactions involving females, and their low behavioural responsiveness. Mating groups were observed on! y during the pre-and the full-rut. Because of small sample size (N = 8), data from the two periods were mixed in order to compare group types. Data on mating groups suggest that oestrous ewes feed much Jess, move more, change activity more often and are involved in social interactions more frequently than in mixed-sex and female groups. However, as oestrus lasts only 1-3 days, the energy costs of the rut are thought to be low for females.