Hog Island sheep

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A Hog Island sheep kept at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate
A Hog Island sheep kept at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate

The Hog Island sheep is a breed of domestic sheep that developed from a feral population of sheep on Virginia's Hog Island beginning in the 17th century.[1] [2] In the 1970s, the island was bought by The Nature Conservancy, and most of the sheep were removed in order to prevent overgrazing; the few that remained died out in a decade.[2] The breed is extremely rare today; with fewer than 200 registered animals it is listed as "Critical" by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hog Island Sheep. Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ a b Moyer, Laura. "Rare sheep with a history", The Free Lance-Star, 8/17/2003. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ Conservation Priority List. American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved on 2208-01-13.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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