Name

Sheep

Scientific Name

Ovis aries 

Characteristics

The sheep is a ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates.

In the UK, there are more than 90 different breeds and cross-breeds of sheep that all have different qualities: some can survive on mountains, some make great mothers and some produce tasty lamb chops!

Sheep’s wool is the most sustainable fibre in the world. It's a natural product of the sheep’s life cycle and the welfare of sheep is improved by them being shorn. An adult ewe produces one fleece per year.

At Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, we have Texel, Jacob and Dorset sheep. We also have a collection of orphaned lambs which we hand rear. We invite visitors to bottle feed the lambs after the Animal Show, which takes place every day in the Ark Arena.

Diet

Sheep are herbivorous mammals.

Size Fact

Full grown adult sheep can weigh up to 90kg.

Food Fact

Lamb (the meat) has lots of nutrients, including iron, protein, folates, zinc and B vitamins.

Fun Fact

Ewes can recognise their lambs by their call.

IUCN Red list

Our sheep are not currently listed on the IUCN red list.

Where do I live?

Sheep are widely distributed across the world and found on almost every continent.

Daily talk

You can meet our sheep in the Animal Show each day. Depending on the time of year, you might be able to bottle feed a lamb.