- Hog Island sheep
The Hog Island sheep is a breed of
domestic sheep that developed from aferal population of sheep on Virginia's Hog Island beginning in the 17th century.cite web|url=http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/hogisland/index.htm|title=Hog Island Sheep|work=Breeds of Livestock |publisher=Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science |accessdate=2008-01-31] cite news |first=Laura |last=Moyer |title=Rare sheep with a history |url=http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2003/082003/08172003/1064594/ |work=The Free Lance-Star |date=2003-08-17 |accessdate=2008-01-31 ] In the 1970s, the island was bought byThe Nature Conservancy , and most of the sheep were removed in order to preventovergrazing ; the few that remained died out in a decade. The breed is extremely rare today; with fewer than 200 registered animals it is listed as "Critical" by theAmerican Livestock Breeds Conservancy . [cite web|url=http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html#sheep |title=Conservation Priority List |publisher=American Livestock Breeds Conservancy |accessdate=2208-01-13]References
ee also
*
Santa Cruz sheep External links
* [http://hogislandsheep.org/index.html Hog Island Sheep Association]
* [http://www.mountvernon.org/visit/plan/index.cfm/pid/468/ Hog Island Sheep at George Washington's Mt. Vernon]
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