Sheep are beautiful, engaging, intelligent animals, and capable of much more than the common stereotypes give them credit for. Sheepish? Nope!
As a kid growing up on a farm, my favorite sheep was an orphan I bottle-fed when it was young. I named him, Mr. Sam, because he would butt me with his head when he wanted more milk. In this friendly, but insistent way, he let me know he meant business! We became great friends. What factory-farm agribusiness has done to all farm animals, including sheep, is hideous. Come on. Let's try it a different way.
These Are the 12 Sickest (Coolest) Sheep Breeds in the World - What's so cool about them? Well, for starters, the Manx Loaghtan sheep has four horns that point in all different directions! Check 'em out!
11 Distinctive Breeds of Sheep - Sheep come in an amazing variety! If you think you know what a sheep looks like, think again.
32 Adorable, Awesome, and Epic Photos of Sheep - Yep, it's all sheep, and probably some of the most beautiful photos you'll see anywhere.
Goats and Sheep by Kevin Horan - These dignified studio portrait photographs emphasize the unique personality of individual sheep (and goats). Click the link, then use the Show Thumbnails tab at the lower right corner of the page that opens, to see the entire portfolio of photos.
Sheep Breeds and Their Characteristics - Although this profile is focused on sheep types common in the United Kingdom, many of these breeds are also found in other countries, and the information about the differences in types of wool is interesting.
10 Surprising Facts About Sheep - Did you know that sheep have 320-degree vision and can smell with their feet?
Sheep and pastoralism (herding) have played a huge role in human history. The following links explore that history and how raising and herding sheep can play a role in undoing the damage done my industrialized agriculture (factory farming), as well as contribute to the fight against climate change.
The Soil Story - This 3-minute video offers a vision of hope for dealing with climate change. Note the role that planned grazing of animals, including sheep, can play.
Sheepherding: Navajo Tradition - This 3-minute video provides a glimpse into the importance of sheep in the traditional Navajo herding culture.
Could Cows and Sheep Halt Climate Change and Tackle Rural Poverty? - Sheep herding, and other forms of pastoralism, have a key role in addressing environmental problems and poverty. In fact, it is now known that ancient herders were responsible for the vast and lush abundance of grass on the African savannah.
Shepherding Back Our Biodiversity - A United Nations Environmental Program report on how shepherds and sheep are helping to renew a sustainable environment.
Regenerating the Earth with Goats, Sheep, and Teens - This 5-minute video offers another example of how raising and caring for sheep on a small scale can be part of healing and regenerating earth. Also, check out this 2-minute look at Nashville's Urban Shepherd, for another of the many ways that sheep are playing a role in helping the environment in the modern world.