Soay sheep
Conservation status | RBST (2017): Category 4[1] |
---|---|
Country of origin | Scotland |
Traits | |
Wool colour | Black, brown, blonde or dark brown with buffish-white underbelly and rump |
Horn status | Horned |
|
The Soay sheep is a breed of
It remains physically similar to the wild ancestors of domestic sheep, the Mediterranean mouflon and the horned urial sheep of Central Asia.[2] It is much smaller than modern domesticated sheep but hardier, and is extraordinarily agile, tending to take refuge amongst the cliffs when frightened. Soays may be solid black or brown, or more often blonde or dark brown with buffish-white underbelly and rump (known as lachdann in Scottish Gaelic, which is cognate to the Manx loaghtan); a few have white markings on the face.[3]
In the early twentieth century, some Soay sheep were relocated to establish exotic flocks, such as the flock of "Park Soay" at
Soay sheep were introduced from St Kilda to Lundy, an island in the Bristol Channel, by Martin Coles Harman soon after he purchased the island in 1925. There is also a small population living wild in and around the Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. The breed was used in experimental archaeology at Butser Ancient Farm because it closely resembles British prehistoric breeds.[6]
The Soays are particularly hardy and have been allowed to become largely feral. The breed is listed in "Category 4: At Risk" by the
Scientific study
The Hirta population is unmanaged and has been the subject of scientific study since the 1950s. The population makes an ideal model subject for scientists researching evolution, population dynamics and demography because the population is unmanaged, is closed (no emigration or immigration) and has no significant competitors or predators.
The sheep exhibit a phenomenon known as overcompensatory density dependence, in which their population never reaches equilibrium.[9] The population growth is so great as to exceed the carrying capacity of the island, which eventually causes a dramatic population crash, and then the cycle repeats. For example, in 1989, the population fell by two-thirds within 12 weeks.[10]
The age and sex structure of the population are important in determining when a crash happens; for instance, adult males enter winter in a poor condition after the autumn
Another factor in mortality rates is the loading of
The breed is becoming smaller because of the change in climate.[11]
Breed characteristics
The sheep have short tails and naturally shed their wool, which can be hand plucked (called rooing) in the spring and early summer. About one kilogram of wool can be obtained from each animal per year.[6] Ewes are polled, scurred or horned and rams are either horned or scurred. They are most commonly brown or tan with a white belly, white rump patch and/or white patch under the chin (referred to as the Mouflon or wild pattern). Occasionally white markings on the face and/or body and legs occur. Rarely self-coloured (solid colour with no markings) black or tan individuals are seen.
This breed has extremely fine fleece and, in contrast to mouflon, the inner fleece is highly developed and it is difficult to distinguish an outer coat. This is a clear indication that the Soay are indeed the product of a domesticated breed in prehistoric times. The breed also lacks the flocking instinct of many breeds. Attempts to work them using sheep dogs result in a scattering of the group.[12]
The lambs are late maturing and produce smaller carcasses relative to commercial breeds. The meat from the Soay is lean, tender and low in cholesterol. It has a stronger flavour with a gamey taste when compared to more common sheep breeds. Crossing with larger breeds, such as the
The Soay is very similar to another feral type from the island of Lítla Dímun in the Faroe Islands, which became extinct in the mid-nineteenth century, partially due to overhunting.[2]
References
- ^ Watchlist 2017–18 Archived 2017-08-06 at the Wayback Machine. Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire: Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Accessed May 2017.
- ^ a b Ryder, M L, (1981), "A survey of European primitive breeds of sheep", Ann. Génét. Sél. Anim., 13 (4), pp 381–418. Archived 2011-05-16 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ St Kilda Summer, by Kenneth Williamson and J Morton Boyd, Hutchinson and co. Ltd 1960
- ^ Kathie Miller. "History of Soay sheep". Southern Oregon Soay Farms. Archived from the original on 11 November 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
- ^ "Wildlife on the Island". Holy Isle Project. Archived from the original on 4 July 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
- ^ ISBN 0-7141-8014-9.
- ^ "Sheep". Rare Breeds Watchlist. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
- ^ "Soay/United Kingdom". Breed Data Sheet. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ PMID 11375487.
- ^ S2CID 13379614.
- ^ Bujor, Mara (3 July 2009). "How global warming made Scotland's sheep shrink". ZME Science. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013.
- ^
"Soay". Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University, Dept. of Animal Science. Archivedfrom the original on 1 January 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.