Karakul sheep

About This Project

Of all the hundreds of breeds of sheep, the Karakul is one of the oldest. It originated in Uzbekistan where vegetation is sparse and water is rare, which is why it has a special fat store located… in its tail!
These sheep are farmed for their coarse, strong wool and their luxurious and highly prized lamb fleeces: Astrakan.

You can see our flock of Karakul sheep in the llama enclosure.

Latin name: Ovis aries aries karakul
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetartiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Size:
Weight: 60-100 kg
Lifespan: 22 years
Gestation: 5 months
Number of young: 1 (occasionally 2)
Habitat: savannah/mountain
Diet: herbivorous
Distribution: the breed originated in Uzbekistan
Conservation status: domesticated

Category
Mammalia