HOG ISLAND SHEEP
The Hog Island sheep is a breed of domestic sheep that was developed from feral animals on Virginias Hog Island beginning in the 17th century. In 1933, a hurricane destroyed most of Hog Island, and with the inhabitants abandoning the settled areas, many sheep were left to fend for themselves and reverted to a feral state. In the 1970s, the island was bought by The Naure Conservancy, and most of the sheep were removed in order to prevent overgrazing; the few that remained died out or were eventually removed in a second round-up. The breed is extremely rare today; with fewer than 200 registered animals it is listed as "Critical" by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Both ewes and rams can be horned, and are generally white with spotted faces, though sometimes black individuals appear. They are fine-boned, and weigh around 100 pounds.