Summary
Two vets are calling for better management of Soay sheep on the St Kilda archipelago in Scotland. They say many sheep die from starvation each winter due to a lack of food. The National Trust for Scotland and the Scottish government consider the sheep wild animals, not protected under farm animal welfare laws.
Key Facts
- Soay sheep live wild on the St Kilda archipelago, a remote group of islands in Scotland.
- Vets David Buckland and Graham Charlesworth say many sheep starve each winter on Hirta, the main island.
- They suggest controlling the sheep population to reduce starvation.
- The National Trust for Scotland and Scottish government view the sheep as wild, not covered by farm welfare laws.
- St Kilda has been home to sheep for thousands of years, and the Soay breed descends from these ancient sheep.
- There are over 1,800 sheep on Hirta, as per data from the University of Edinburgh's St Kilda Soay Sheep Project.
- The project has gathered data on the sheep since 1985.
- The Scottish government states the sheep are protected under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 as wild animals.
