The last Mouflon sheep in England.

There's a group of Mouflon at Birmingham Nature Centre for a start, so it's definitely not the last in the country (as I shouted at the TV when it was on Look North yesterday!).

Rufford Country Park used to have a huge herd; anyone know if they're still there?

Not sure if we're counting Scotland but Camperdown and Highland both had the species last year.
 
HWP, no longer have mouflon in their collection, think they went to the Scottish deer centre
 
Whipsnade had one in the childrens farm, it used to roam free my little girl loved it. Think it has passed away, we haven't seen it this year.
 
Charley_Orang said:
Whipsnade had one in the childrens farm, it used to roam free my little girl loved it. Think it has passed away, we haven't seen it this year.
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Yes, I spotted that had disappeared earlier in the year. I always used to make a point of tracking it down at each visit.
 
Animal Farm Country Park near Brean Down in North Somerset recieved a number of Mouflon from London Zoo when the Mappin Terraces were finally emptied of sheep and goats in the mid-80s. I wouldn't be surprised if they bred and some remain.
 
johnstoni said:
Animal Farm Country Park near Brean Down in North Somerset recieved a number of Mouflon from London Zoo when the Mappin Terraces were finally emptied of sheep and goats in the mid-80s. I wouldn't be surprised if they bred and some remain.
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Visited this place earlier in the year don`t recall seeing any Mouflon.
 
Well they obviously didn't last then. Some of the Mappins Mouflon definitely were sent there though, there used to be a sign up by their paddock.
 
Rufford country park and the Scottish Deer Centre don't mention any Mouflon online, the latter do have a herd of soay sheep though. I wonder how 'wild' the remaining UK mouflon are though genetically.

An archaeological centre in Peterborough have a flock of around 30 aninmals, apparently descended from just one pair. The closest sheep in the photo below is really a soay or a soay cross with possibly some mouflon genes, although the one in the background looks more representative:
Two Mouflon Sheep, Flag Fen, Peterborough, by Audrey McAdam | fotoLibra

Either way, its not ideal to be mixing this species with any domestic sheep breed if it is to be preserved. However, this is surely inevitable as zoological collections no longer house this species and it is increasingly likely to end up in farm or specialist attractions housed as if a 'breed' of sheep as opposed to a species.

Similarly, this Mouflon ram at Birmingham Nature centre appears to have some domestic genes in him:
http://www.zoochat.com/1087/mouflon-birmingham-nature-centre-28-02-a-132253/

whereas the sole survivor of a long inbred herd (the animal that prompted this thread) looks very different in appearance:
Mouflon ram needs a mate (From The Northern Echo)

Camperdown appear to have a group of ewes, I hope the lone animal ends up there or somewhere else he can breed.
 
johnstoni said:
I wonder how 'wild' the remaining UK mouflon are though genetically.

An archaeological centre in Peterborough have a flock of around 30 aninmals, apparently descended from just one pair. The closest sheep in the photo below is really a soay or a soay cross with possibly some mouflon genes, although the one in the background looks more representative:ther way, its not ideal to be mixing this species with any domestic sheep
Similarly, this Mouflon ram at Birmingham Nature centre appears to have some domestic genes in him:
whereas the sole survivor of a long inbred herd (the animal that prompted this thread) looks very different in appearance:
It seems apparent from these photos that the Peterborough animals aren't pure(or a least the ones pictured- the nearest one, as you said, resembles a Soay and the other isn't true Mouflon build or colouration either(though closer)

The Birmingham Ram in the photo has a white face and legs- obviously he's a cross with domestic sheep so its likely the others in the group are too).

The 'last Mouflon' however does look absolutely correct for the species so would say he is genuine. I hope they can pair him up successfully with another pure group(if any still exist).
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It would be such a tragedy if they castrate this animal as was alluded to in the article. It sounds like its aggression/frustration has become a problem, I wonder if they've been in contact with Camperdown?
 
johnstoni said:
It would be such a tragedy if they castrate this animal as was alluded to in the article. It sounds like its aggression/frustration has become a problem, I wonder if they've been in contact with Camperdown?
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I can't find any pix of the Camperdown Mouflon to give any idea if they are pure or not.
 
On my last visit to Dudley, There were two mouflon sheep directly behind the Burger Van on the hill at the back. I've checked the photographs that I took with some on the internet and as far as I can see (along with four other people) they are Mouflon Sheep, they appear to be a pair but unless you know they're there then you would easily miss them.
is realised.
 
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