Home Directions News & Events Animals A-Z
 

AMPHIBIANS:
Pac Man Frog

BIRDS:
Chickens
Cockatoo, Sulfer Crested
Chinese Geese
Ducks
Helmeted Guinea Fowl
Macaw, Blue & Yellow
Miniature Macaw
Parrot, Amazon

MAMMALS:
Black Bear
Bobcat
Capuchin, Black & White
Coati Mundis
Cougar
Deer, Fallow
Ferrets
Goat (Pygmy)
Hedgehog
Lemur, Ringtailed
Leopard, black
Liger
Lion (African)
Lion (Barbary)
Macaque, Java
Macaque, Snow
Marmoset
Pig
Sheep
Tiger (Bengal)
Tiger (Siberian)
Vervet
Wolves
Zebra

REPTILES:
Alligator
Anaconda
Bearded Dragon
Boa, Columbian
California King Snake
Corn Snake
Iguana
Lizard, African Plated
Python, Burmese
Python, Reticulated
Python, Royal
Skink, Blue Tongue
Tortoise, Spurred

Field Trips ZooMobile Volunteer! Kids Camp F.A.Q.
Domestic Sheep
DESCRIPTION:
Weight: 100-225 pounds for ewes; 150-350 pounds for rams. Horns of rams usually curve outward. In some breeds both rams and ewes have horns; other breeds are hornless. They have cloven hoofs and slim ankles. Muscular upper legs help them move quickly and easily. They have no upper incisors, but have 8 lower incisors. They also have 6 grinding teeth on the back part of each jaw. Most sheep have tails, but these are cut off for reason of cleanliness. Sheep are classified into four groups, depending upon their fleece. These are: fine wool, crossbred wool, medium wool, and coarse wool.

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:
Raised in all parts of the world. Australia is the world's leading sheep-producing country, raising one-sixth of the world's sheep; has 15 sheep per person. In New Zealand, there are 20 sheep per person. In the U.S. most sheep are raised west of the Mississippi.

DIET:

Grass, weeds and shrubs on range. Also grain and hay on farm in winter.


LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL STRUCTURE:
Begin breeding at age two; have young every year after that. Gestation period is five months. Life span is 13 years.Enemies are meat-eating wild animals and dogs. Also, the kea parrot of New Zealand sinks its sharp bill into the sheep's back and eats its flesh and fat.


SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS:

Can bite off grass much closer to the ground than cattle can. Can live without water for long periods.


INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION:

Sheep yield wool, meat and leather. Also furnish raw materials for glue, tallow, suet, soap, fertilizer, cosmetics, and catgut used in stringing tennis rackets. The U.S. can produce nearly all the lamb and mutton it needs, but imports much wool.


STATUS IN WILD:

Only found in domesticated state.


Special thanks to the Oakland Zoo website where most of this data was obtained.  Please visit them at http://www.oaklandzoo.org