They’re wee little beasties, and it’s global warming’s fault
| July 2, 2009 | 6:00 PM
More journal entries from Cindy House »
Shrinking sheep.
Yes, some sheep are getting smaller. And global warming is apparently to blame.
Much like your favorite wool sweater would shrink in the clothes dryer, sheep on a Scottish island are getting smaller because of a quarter-century of milder winters, British researchers report.
You see, the sheep don’t need to bulk up to survive a harsh winter, so they don’t eat as much grass in the summer. Also, whereas in the past, the bitter cold may have killed small or weak ewes, they are now surviving and reproducing, spreading their wee genetics through the herd.
How wool we ever cope?
Read more at ScienceNOW.
climate change, global warming, scotland, sheep
