Arapawa sheep
Breed of sheep / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Arapawa Sheep is a breed of feral sheep found primarily on Arapaoa Island (formerly called Arapawa Island) in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. The New Zealand Rare Breeds Conservation Society classifies it as "rare".[1] This breed is raised primarily for wool.[2]
Conservation status | Rare |
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Country of origin | New Zealand |
Distribution | Arapaoa island |
Use | Wool |
Traits | |
Wool colour | Black, white |
Face colour | Black, white |
Horn status | Rams are horned and ewes are polled (hornless) |
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There have been many theories about the origin of the sheep. It was once thought that they were most likely descendants of Merinos introduced from Australia in 1867. Other theories were that they are sheep from the Middle East introduced by whalers who were based on the island from the 1820s, or even that they were brought by a Spanish galleon as early as the 16th century.[3][4]
Genetic research has shown that their closest relative is the Florida Gulf Coast Native sheep.[4][5] This supports the idea that they were brought by whalers in the early 19th century.[5]