The German Moorland Sheep is an old land sheep race, whose ancestors are to be said the Sardinian and Corsican Mufflons. It is a very frugal animal and likes to live on sandy barren soils with little high-quality vegetation, e.g. a heathland landscape. Therefore the moorland sheep is an important "landscape maintainer" and helps to preserve this landscape form.

Moorland sheep belong to the mixed wool breeds. Above the soft undercoat a thick wool coat protects the animal from the weather and makes it insensitive to the weather. Nevertheless a shearing takes place annually in May, with the lambs for the first time in August.
Moorland sheep can reach an age of approx. 15 years when maintained by men. Females reach a weight of about 45 kg, bucks about 50 kg. After a period of 150 days, one to two lambs are born, which are still completely black in the beginning. The light fur-coloring appears not until later.

It is remarkable that there is a special relationship between bees and moorland sheep, they favour each other.
In the late summer, the moorland sheep walk through to the heather-blossom. With their legs they tear the cobwebs in the plants and thus enable the bees to look without troubles for nectar for the heather honey. In return, the bees pollinate the heather and ensure the survival of the food of the moorland sheep.

For the meaning of the German name "Schnucke" two explanations can be found. The ones say, it derived from the word "schnökern" what means as much as "grazing". The moorland sheep (German: Heidschnucke) would like to graze heath, wild herbs and grass. If one looks at the barren plant of the heath with its hard, dry, almost woody stems, which is eaten only by moorland sheep and goats, then also this explanation of 1862 makes sense from our point of view: People living in te heather called the sheep only "Schnucken" or "Snucken" or also "Snicken" which derived from the Anglo-Saxon term "Snicken, Kriechen". The German term "Heidschnucke" therefore meant as much as "Heidekriecher" = crawling through the heather.

Our plush moorland sheep is also frugal. Getting pet are the most important. It likes to lie comfortably on a soft meadow, in the sun, or under a tree and dreaming of experiences made together.

Length: 30 cm (~ 12")
Colour: Black & white with brown horns
Filling: Special polyester fibres
Material: Mohair
Manufacturer: Kösener Spielzeug Manufaktur

From the Mohair and Alpaca-Line!

The proceed of this sales will be donated to a children's charity organisation.