Thread: Wild Sheep Arapawa Island

But I'm picking there is already a difference in the sheep's type etc because they have been bred in a domestic situation for such a long time. In the wild it's all random. Survival of the fittest comes into play. There is no artificial genetic selection in the wild like there is on a farm/lifestyle block.

That was one of the big problems I saw when Rare Breeds were "saving" the Waipu goat... They were an isolated wild breed that had lived a survival of the fittest for umpteen years. Natural breeding occured. Probably lots of inbreeding (line breeding) as to what billy did the deed with the nannies. There were so many statements on FB etc where people were picking billies to use because they had good wool etc. The complete antithisis of how the "breed" developed.

The best way to preserve them would be to fence off a good sized patch of bush and just let them go. Totally impractical, I know. But too much meddling means actually ruining the breed.... I don't know what the answer is, but selectively breeding isn't it.