Lonely sheep seeks woolly friends

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8364875.stm

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A rare-breed sheep in North Yorkshire has been described by his owner as the loneliest animal in the county after the rest of his flock died out.

Muffie, a Mouflon sheep, was originally part of a flock of 30 descended from one ram and five ewes.

Owner Ian Harmer, of Thornton Steward near Leyburn, said he thinks Muffie could be the last Mouflon in Yorkshire and possibly the country.

He now hopes to be able to find Muffie a new home with his own kind.

Muffie is descended from six Mouflons which were brought to North Yorkshire 20 years ago. The flock eventually suffered the effects of in-breeding.

A gatepost bears the scars of Muffie's frustrations

Mr Harmer said: "The genes were being weakened and we found that a lot of the lambs were being born smaller and weaker with a high mortality rate.

"The number very gradually started to dwindle until we were left with just one ram".

Although Muffie shares his field with two horses he has shown signs of missing the company of his own kind.

During last year's breeding season Muffie took out his frustrations on a large wooden gatepost and butted almost three quarters of the way through it.

Mr Harmer said: "It would be lovely if we could find another flock of Mouflon and he could be reunited with his own kind".