Interesting sheep!
By Fleur
@Fleura (34927)
United Kingdom
April 19, 2023 10:43am CST
@JudyEv I thought of you when I saw these 
Last week we went on a family holiday to the island of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands just off the north coast of France. One day we went on a walk up one of the ‘sunken roads’ and up to the headland to look for the remains of a prehistoric dolmen. And on the way we saw these sheep.
Apparently they are Manx Loaghtan sheep. They are a hardy rare breed which originates from the Isle of Man. This breed is considered the closest living relative of the Jersey sheep, which was widespread on the island until the industrial revolution which basically wiped out the knitting industry.
The Manx Loaghtan sheep were introduced in 2009 by the Jersey National Trust to reverse the widespread ecological degradation that has taken place in the coastal areas that would have been grazed in the past. The 22 ewes and two rams that were brought in have now increased to more than 450, as reported by the BBC in February
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-64503285
They are interesting-looking animals which apparently can have up to six horns although we didn’t see any with more than four.
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2023.
Last week we went on a family holiday to the island of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands just off the north coast of France. One day we went on a walk up one of the ‘sunken roads’ and up to the headland to look for the remains of a prehistoric dolmen. And on the way we saw these sheep.
Apparently they are Manx Loaghtan sheep. They are a hardy rare breed which originates from the Isle of Man. This breed is considered the closest living relative of the Jersey sheep, which was widespread on the island until the industrial revolution which basically wiped out the knitting industry.
The Manx Loaghtan sheep were introduced in 2009 by the Jersey National Trust to reverse the widespread ecological degradation that has taken place in the coastal areas that would have been grazed in the past. The 22 ewes and two rams that were brought in have now increased to more than 450, as reported by the BBC in February
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-64503285
They are interesting-looking animals which apparently can have up to six horns although we didn’t see any with more than four.
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2023.9 people like this
8 responses
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Apr 23
Thanks very much for posting this. How interesting. I've heard of the breed. The Jacob is another breed that can have more than two horns. Did you see Jersey cows as well? I'd love to go to one of the Channel Islands. We watched the film The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope it was shot where it was supposed to have happened. 
2 people like this
@Fleura (34927)
• United Kingdom
19 Apr 23
Sadly we saw few Jersey cows. They are such a pretty breed and so gentle. We bought plenty of milk and it said it came from the Jersey dairy and the cartons were printed with plenty of information all about the benefits of Jersey milk, but I don't know where it all came from! Jersey is only about 9 miles by five so there can't have been a whole lot of it we didn't see!
1 person likes this
Reading my comment again I'm not sure if it was clear. We didn't see any other cows at all, so the only cows we did see were Jerseys, but we can't have seen more than 30 in total.
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Apr 23
The ones with their horns going straight up look surprised. 
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Apr 23
@Fleura It just might be.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
19 Apr 23
I had to look up what Dolmen were. That would be so neat to see one in person. I love visiting places like that.
The sheep in the photo are neat. Amazing they can have so many horns. What I thought was interesting in the photo is all the different shapes of the horns. I can see three different shapes.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
20 Apr 23
You took me to New Zealand where I had the good fortune to see scores of grazing sheep on the side of the main road
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
20 Apr 23
@Fleura When I was in school we had learnt about the New Zealand prairies and from that time on I had a dream to see those prairies and I got the opportunity. From a distance they looked like balls of cotton
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34927)
• United Kingdom
19 Apr 23
The only one I could find so far is this print, and there are no clues as to whether he would actually have seen any sheep or just drew some from popular ideas of what they were like.
https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/File:Jersey-sheep-JohnSullivan.jpg
@Fleura (34927)
• United Kingdom
19 Apr 23
And it didn't say who John Sullivan was, but I guess this must be him, 1813 to 1899
Menu Jean Sullivan - John Sullivan, "J.S.", "Oméga" 1813-1899 Jean Sullivan wrote in three languages - Jèrriais, French and English. He was also a notary, journalist, historian, publisher of pamphlets, and devoted monarchist who always claimed the patr
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (40946)
• Philippines
20 Apr 23
Interesting that they are being saved from extinction and their population is starting to grow again. It is just sad that a creature like this was left to decrease because of industrialization. Hopefully, their specie could continue on this world.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Apr 23
Those are interesting looking. I would love to see them
1 person likes this
