3595-Sheep Life Size Brown 105cm.L

Sheep

Description Sheep are close relatives of goats and are considered ruminants or animals with multiple chambers that aid in the digestion of food. They are generally farmed for their wool, meat, and sometimes milk. Most sheep have big horns that are curled, and hooves that are divided into two toes. Majority of breeds with horns have a single pair, but there are a few breeds with several horns. Meanwhile, other domestic sheep breeds have no horns at all. The domestic sheep’s color may range from white to dark brown, while wild sheep are mostly brown in color. These animals have good sense of hearing and smell, and can see what’s behind them even without turning their head because of their horizontal pupils that give them exceptional peripheral vision. Sheep can be found in mountainous regions throughout the world—in North America, Asia, Central Europe, and the Middle East. They are herbivorous animals which normally feed on grass, seeds, and other types of vegetation. They do not need much water.

Status According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the majority of the species of sheep are categorized as Least Concern. However, the urial, which is a subspecies of wild sheep that naturally lives in the Middle East and Mediterranean, is classified as Vulnerable. Over the last 24 years, the population of urials has been slumping by at least 30 percent due to the destruction of their habitat, hybridization, as well as hunting. Aside from that, the Argali, which can be found across central Asia, is listed as the Near Threatened due to hunting by poachers and competition with livestock.