# Sheep (*Ovis*) Sheep are fluffy animals that live on farms. They are known for their woolly coats and love to graze on grass. Sheep are friendly and often travel in groups called flocks. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Ewe, Lamb, Ram ![Sheep](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426791/objects/3877.jpg) ## Appearance The Sheep is a medium-sized mammal often covered in thick, fluffy wool, which can range from white, cream, and grey to brown or black. It typically has a stocky body, short tail, and either long, curved horns or no horns at all, making it visually distinct from goats. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Bovidae - **Genus:** Ovis ## Interesting facts - Baby sheep are called lambs, and they can stand up and walk just minutes after birth! - Sheep have no top front teeth, instead, they have a hard dental pad for grazing! - Some sheep breeds can live high in the mountains, braving extreme weather conditions! - Their eyes have rectangular pupils, giving them a super-wide view of their surroundings! ## Special abilities - **Woolly Warmth:** Sheep has a coat of dense, crimped wool that helps them stay warm in winter and cool in summer by trapping air. - **Graze & Digest:** Sheep can efficiently digest tough grasses because of their four-chambered stomach, extracting nutrients from fibrous plants. - **Flock Focus:** Sheep can stay safe in groups because their strong herding instinct keeps them together, confusing predators. - **Rugged Hooves:** Sheep has strong hooves and legs that help them climb steep, rocky terrain with surprising agility. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 90-150 cm - **Weight:** 45-160 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-12 years - **Speed:** 25 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-3 - **Gestation:** 147-152 days ## Diet & Feeding Sheep are plant-eaters that love to munch on fresh grasses, clover, and other leafy plants. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, clover, herbs, leaves, forbs, shoots - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Grey Wolf (*Canis lupus*) — Wolves hunt wild sheep, keeping their populations healthy. - **Eaten by:** [Cougar](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cougar) (*Puma concolor*) — Cougars prey on wild sheep in North American mountain ranges. - **Eaten by:** [Golden Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-eagle) (*Aquila chrysaetos*) — Golden eagles can sometimes snatch lambs from open fields. - **Eats:** [White Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-clover) (*Trifolium repens*) — Sheep graze on clover, a common and nutritious pasture plant. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Domesticated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/domesticated): Domesticated refers to species that have been selectively bred and tamed by humans for specific purposes. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always be gentle and calm around sheep, and don't chase them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sheep? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Sheep? 90-150 cm ### How much does Sheep weigh? 45-160 kg ### How long does Sheep live? 10-12 years ### How fast can Sheep move? 25 km/h ### What does Sheep eat? Sheep are plant-eaters that love to munch on fresh grasses, clover, and other leafy plants. ### Where is Sheep usually found? Grasslands ### How does Sheep hunt? Grazing ## Where to spot - [Alaska Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alaska-zoo) — Alaska, US · Zoo - [Prospect Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/prospect-park-zoo) — New York, US · Zoo - [Red River Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/red-river-zoo) — North Dakota, US · Zoo - [Great Plains Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-plains-zoo) — South Dakota, US · Zoo - [Happy Hollow Park & Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/happy-hollow-park-and-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Lehigh Valley Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lehigh-valley-zoo) — Pennsylvania, US · Zoo [View all places to see Sheep](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sheep) ## Watch - [Play video: Sheep](https://www.snappit.app/videos/sheep) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=1GzDm0if18s) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Sheep: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sheep)