Yesterday, on our walk down the side lane, I was excited to see a goat in the distance but, as we got closer, the single goat turned into a flock of sheep.

I stared at them, for ages, trying to decide if they were sheep or goats, or even both. It was the floppy ears that had me confused. Upon Googling, I found that sheep and goats can interbreed, but it’s rare for they have a differing number of chromosomes, presenting survival difficulties.

Below, this black sheep has a woolly coat and, by the longer bits on the shoulder, looks like it has not long shed. I learned that the top lip determines a sheep from a goat. Since this has a split top lip, it’s a sheep.

The division in the top lip is better seen in this next tan-coloured one. Their eating habits differ – a sheep grazes, as these do, but a goat eats bushes and twigs, stuff off the ground.

But look at the coat on that little spotted on at the back – not particularly woolly.   And then there are the tails. A sheep’s tail will hang down. A goat’s sticks up. In the end, I had to admit all of them were sheep – despite the gangly legs and floppy ears. Still, it’s great to have some new animals within easy reach of the Nikon D3000.

Thanks for looking. Stay safe.

🙂