SHEEP

Ovis Aries

Key Facts

SIZE: 117cm height.
WEIGHT: 35 – 180kg
DIET: Hay, grass, farm grain.
LIFE SPAN: 10 – 12 years
CONSERVATION STATUS: Least Concern
DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbajan and Iran

Did You Know?

Sheep can actually swim. But not too well!

Habitat

The exact origin of Sheep is unclear, however the common hypothesis states that Sheep are descended from the Asiatic species of Mouflon, a wild sheep native to the Caspian region from eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan to Iran. Sheep are now domesticated and are found across the world, compared to other livestock these creatures prefer mountainous or hilly regions. Generally, Sheep are kept in farmland, grassland, pasture, and other similar habitats with plenty of grass and plants to feed on.

Adaptions

Although sheep are quite defenceless, they do possess some physical characterises to help them evade predators i.e. large widely spaced eyes and rectangle shaped pupils to allow peripheral vision. Male sheep have large curled horns that are used in fighting with other rams to compete with mating partners or dominance within groups.

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