I Heard A Ram Call My Name

Aries is an endangered argali, the largest wild sheep in the world. At a young age, he is forced to leave his mother when threatened by a pack of wolves. His journey across Mongolia is a constant struggle for food, water, shelter, and survival of his species. When Helmut, an engineer working in Mongolia, is ordered by his boss to arrange a hunt for argali trophies, he is torn between pleasing his boss and concern for the endangered animal. He is forced to make choices that violate his personal values, and involve the services of an unscrupulous Mongolian bureaucrat. The hunters arrive in UlaanBaatar for their ten day hunt. They experience cultural superstitions; the vast loneliness of the Mongolian steppe; are tested when their van breaks down; accused of illegally hunting in a national park; and barely escape death from a stampeding herd. All the men get a trophy, but one hunter accidently wounds the ewe that is pregnant with Aries offspring. The following spring, the five year old son of a herdsman hears a ram call his name, and sneaks out at night to investigate. The boy discovers the lamb orphaned by the hunters and spends the night out on the steppe - alone with the lamb. Helmut later learns of the rescue, has the chance to witness its release back into the wild, and finally comes to terms with his guilt for arranging the hunt. The story weaves together the life of an argali with the actions of humans that endanger and protect the species while transporting readers to a different land and a unique culture.