Onondaga County Executive McMahon Holds Press Conference to Announce Illegally Created Argali Clone Finds New Home at Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Syracuse, NY – County Executive Ryan McMahon held a press conference to announce that a new Marco Polo argali sheep named Tilek is now viewable to the public at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. This animal is an incredibly special acquisition in that he is actually a clone. Before his confiscation, Tilek was at the heart of an elaborate wildlife trafficking scheme that made global headlines. The press conference took place on August 7, 2025 at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. McMahon, along with the zoo’s interim director and collection managers, shared more details about this animal’s harrowing journey, the painstaking efforts the zoo team made to acclimate him to his new life, and the hidden dangers within the world of wildlife crime. 

In May 2021, wildlife conservation authorities seized Tilek from Arthur “Jack” Schubarth. Schubarth has since pleaded guilty to wildlife trafficking charges, having illegally smuggled genetic material of a wild argali sheep from Kyrgyzstan into the United States, which he then used to create Tilek. Schubarth and his associates conspired to inseminate other species of wild sheep with argali semen, thereby creating a collection breeding stock which would then produce larger sheep for captive hunting. Captive hunting is a lucrative business that involves charging “hunters” to access a restricted area with the animals for the sole purpose of shooting them to use as trophies. After a 41-month stay at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center, a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation center and wildlife conservation advocate in Grants Pass, Oregon, Tilek was ready to move to his forever home. United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) reached out to the relevant Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for help arranging the animal’s move to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. The zoo was chosen due to its extensive experience with hoofstock species, including markhor, mouflon, and others.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said, “I’m proud that our Rosamond Gifford Zoo can provide a safe and loving home for this magnificent animal. The argali’s successful rescue and relocation to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is a victory for conservation efforts and proof of the importance of protecting wildlife and enforcing wildlife laws.”

“Everything about this situation was new because it’s such a unique, novel case,” explained Dan Meates, Rosamond Gifford Zoo Interim Director. “We had to learn and adjust every point.” Despite the alarming number of variables and surprises that arose as Tilek settled into his new home, the zoo’s top priority remained constant: providing Tilek with the best quality of life possible. “We are thrilled to welcome this Marco Polo argali to our zoo,” he added. “He endured a lot in his lifetime, but our team is committed to providing every animal with the specialized care they need to thrive.”

Once Tilek cleared his mandatory quarantine period, the process of acclimating him to his new habitat and other animals began. After months of incremental progress, Tilek’s behavior demonstrated that he was comfortable and accustomed to his new surroundings. He has moved into his new home on the Wildlife Trail with three male Tadjik markhor companions. The public is invited to visit Tilek and the rest of the animals at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, open daily from 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threated Species, the world’s most comprehensive list of wildlife species and their risk of extinction, deems argali as “Near Threatened,” meaning that without human intervention and deliberate action intended to protect the species, argali might be at risk for eventual extinction. Due to their massive size and impressive horns, one of the biggest threats to Marco Polo argali sheep is trophy hunting.

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is Syracuse’s accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), the gold standard for animal care, wildlife conservation, and guest experience. Visit the zoo’s website at www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org.

The Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is the non-profit organization that supports the zoo and its conservation missions. Learn more about the Friends here.