21 Animals with Curly Horns (A to Z List with Pictures) – Fauna Facts (2024)

Animals with curly horns include Addax, African Buffalo, Alpine Ibex, Asian Water Buffalo, and Bharal.

Curly horns can be found on quite a few animals, both domesticated and wild. While they may seem strange, these horns have some important functions.

Curly horns may seem like a strange trait to have, but they serve some important purposes. For example, domesticated animals with curly horns are less likely to injure their handlers while they are getting fed or groomed.

They also provide protection from predators. Animals who live in the wild use their curly horns as weapons of defense and offense.

Curly horns can be found on a variety of animals, both domesticated and wild. Some of the most well-known creatures with curly horns include cows, sheep, goats, and antelopes.

Curly horns are not just limited to land animals either – some sea creatures like the narwhal also have them!

Examples of Animals With Curly Horns

1. Addax

The Addax is a medium-sized antelope that can be found in the Sahara desert. It has long, spiral horns, and its coat color ranges from dark brown to almost white depending on the season.

The Addax has long, narrow hooves that help it walk in the sandy desert. They weigh from 80 to 120 kilograms and can be up to 90 centimeters tall at the shoulder. Males have longer horns than females, which range from 80-100 cm (31-40 inches).

2. African Buffalo

The African buffalo is a large bovine that can be found in Africa. It has two curly horns on its head and a shaggy brown coat. The buffalo can weigh up to 900 kg (2000 lbs) and stand over 150 cm tall at the shoulder. They live in herds of up to 500 individuals, but males will often live alone.

3. Alpine Ibex

The Alpine Ibex has very long, curved horns which they use to defend themselves and attract females. They are native to the Alps in Europe but have been hunted almost all their lives so there aren’t many left anymore.

The male ibexes have much larger horns than the females and can weigh up to 350 pounds. They stand about 30 inches tall at the shoulder. Ibexes are herbivores and eat mostly grass, leaves, flowers, and shoots from trees and bushes.

4. Asian Water Buffalo

The Asian water buffalo is a large, heavily built bovine. It has curved horns and a shaggy, dark brown coat. The buffalo is well adapted to life in the tropics and can be found near rivers and lakes in Southeast Asia, India, and parts of China. They are usually solitary animals but sometimes form small herds.

They are excellent swimmers and can hold their breath for up to two minutes when underwater. The buffalo’s large horns help it defend itself against predators such as tigers and crocodiles, although these animals rarely attack full-grown water buffaloes. They also use them to clear undergrowth while searching for food in thick forests or on marshy ground.

Asian water buffaloes weigh up to 900 kilograms (2000 pounds) and are up to 150 centimeters (60 inches) tall at the shoulder.

5. Bharal

The Bharal, or Blue Sheep, is the largest sheep in Asia and can be found at high elevations in the Himalayan mountain range. It has a bluish-grey coat with white markings on its face, underside, and legs.

Its horns are long and slightly curved towards the back of its head. Males have longer horns than females.

6. Bighorn Sheep

The Bighorn Sheep is a large, hoofed mammal that can be found in North America. They have two spiral horns on their head and weigh up to 150 pounds. Males are larger than females and the horns can grow up to 18 inches long.

The Bighorn Sheep live in mountainous areas and use their hooves to climb rocks. They are herbivores and eat grass, leaves, and other plants.

7. Bison

Bison is a large and heavy animal that can be found in North America. It has two horns, with the larger one in front of its head. Its coat color is dark brown to black.

The Bison has curved and sharp hooves which it uses to defend itself from predators such as wolves and bears. They weigh from 700 to 2000 pounds and can be up to six feet tall at the shoulder. Males have longer horns than females, which range from 60-80 cm (24-31 inches).

8. Blackbuck

The Blackbuck is a small antelope that can be found in India and Pakistan. It has long, spiral horns and a reddish-brown coat. The Blackbuck weighs around 80 pounds and stands about 30 inches tall at the shoulder. They are very agile animals and can run up to 50 miles per hour.

9. Cambodian Buffalo

The Cambodian Buffalo is a large bovine that can be found in Southeast Asia. They have long, curly horns and are a dark brown color. They are the national animal of Cambodia and weigh up to 500 kg (1,100 lbs). Females are slightly smaller than males and both have short manes along their backs.

10. Giant Eland

The Giant Eland is the largest antelope in Africa. It can weigh up to 1,400 pounds and stand nearly six feet tall at the shoulder. The Giant Eland has two spiral horns that can grow up to three feet long. They are a light brown color with white markings on their face, rump, and legs.

11. Hebridean Sheep

The Hebridean Sheep is a curly-horned sheep that is found on the Hebrides Islands off the coast of Scotland. They are a hardy breed and can withstand cold, wet weather. Their wool is long and thick and ranges in color from white to black.

The horns of the Hebridean Sheep are long and curly, and the males have larger horns than the females. They weigh from 40 to 60 pounds and are about 28 inches at the shoulder.

12. Impala

The Impala is a medium-sized antelope that can be found in the African savannah. It has long, spiral horns, and its coat color ranges from light brown to reddish-brown. The Impala has long, narrow hooves that help it walk in the sandy desert.

They weigh from 40 to 75 kilograms and can be up to 90 centimeters tall at the shoulder. Males have longer horns than females, which range from 80-100 cm (31-40 inches).

13. Kudu

The Kudu is a type of antelope that can be found in the grasslands and bushlands of southern Africa. They have long horns that curve upward.

These animals are generally gray or brown, with white stripes on their sides and neck. Males are larger than females, weighing up to 600 pounds with some reaching 700 pounds. Kudus can run up to 40 mph and are excellent jumpers.

14. Markhor

The Markhor is a large goat with long, spiral horns that can grow up to 60 inches in length. They are found in the mountains of Pakistan and Afghanistan and have a thick coat of hair that helps them stay warm in the cold weather. The Markhor is a dangerous animal and has been known to kill people who get too close.

15. Mouflon

The Mouflon is a wild sheep that can be found in the mountains of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It has long, curly horns, and its coat color varies from light brown to dark red.

The Mouflon is a shy animal and prefers to live in steep, rocky areas where it is difficult for predators to reach them. They weigh from 55 to 120 pounds and are about 32 inches at the shoulder. Males have larger horns than females.

16. Murrah Buffalo

The Murrah Buffalo is a large, curly-horned buffalo that is found in India and Pakistan. They are the largest of the water buffalo species and can weigh up to 1000 pounds.

The horns of the Murrah Buffalo are very large and curve back over the head. They have a reddish-brown coat with black markings on the head, legs, and stomach.

17. Nubian Ibex

The Nubian Ibex is a mountain goat that can be found in the mountains of North Africa and the Middle East. They have long, spiral horns that can reach up to 50 inches in length.

The coat of the Nubian Ibex ranges from light brown to black and they have a beard and goatee. They weigh from 55 to 110 kilograms and stand about 70 centimeters tall at the shoulder.

18. Sable Antelope

The Sable Antelope is an African antelope found in the savannahs and forests of southern Africa. They are large animals with long, spiral horns that can grow up to three feet long. Their coats range from light brown to black in color.

The Sable Antelope weighs from 220-440 pounds (100-200 kg) and stands up to 47 inches (120 cm) at the shoulder. They are one of the fastest antelopes, reaching speeds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h). Males have larger horns than females.

19. Scimitar Oryx

The Scimitar Oryx is a large antelope that can be found in North Africa and the Middle East. It has long, curved horns, and its coat color ranges from light brown to dark red. The Scimitar Oryx is a desert animal and can survive on very little water.

They weigh from 275 to 440 pounds and can be up to 91 inches long. Males have larger horns than females, which range from 22-27 in (56-69 cm).

20. Scimitar-Horned Oryx

The Scimitar-Horned Oryx is a large antelope that can be found in the Sahara desert. It has long, spiral horns, and its coat color ranges from light brown to almost white depending on the season.

The Scimitar-Horned Oryx has short legs with hooves that are well adapted to walking in the sand. They weigh from 200 to 250 kilograms and can be up to one meter tall at the shoulder. Males have longer horns than females, which range from 90-120 centimeters (36-47 inches).

The Scimitar-Horned Oryx has been extinct in the wild since 2000 due to hunting for its horns and meat. However, a small population has been reintroduced in Chad.

21. Water Buffalo

The Water Buffalo is a large, hoofed animal that is found in the tropics and subtropics. They have two pairs of horns- one pair of small, curved horns on their head and a second pair of larger, curly horns on their neck.

The Water Buffalo can weigh up to 1500 pounds and be over six feet tall at the shoulder.