Manx Loaghtan sheep have been added to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust most urgent watchlist category.
The Manx native sheep has been added to the list due to falling numbers.
Along with the Manx Loaghtan breed, the Leicester Longwool breed has also been added to the lost.
Loss of Loaghtans
The charity says that both breeds have seen “significant declines in the number of dams producing pedigree offspring, continuing negative trends of recent years”.
Since 2022 there has been a 34% decrease in the number of Manx Loaghtan dams producing pedigree offspring.
The breed’s ‘Effective Population’ for 2024 was the Manx Loaghtan’s lowest since this calculation was first recorded by the charity in 2000.
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