Endangered
The North Ronaldsay ("Ronnies") are one of a group of Primitive Northern Short-tailed sheep and represent a very early stage in the evolution of domestic sheep. Bones of simillar animals have been found at Skara Brae dating from the Bronze Age.
These sheep have evolved in a specailised seashore environment on their native island after a stone walled dyke about 5-6ft high and 13 miles long was built around the island in about 1832. The dyke confined the sheep to the shore where they adapted to a seaweed diet rich in vitamins, minerals and iodine.
They have wool of virtually any colour from white through to grey and black along with various shades of brown or mixed colours. The grey is, however, predominating. The wool is fine but with some kemp and it has a staple length of about 100mm with a 54 - 56 Bradford Count i.e 28 microns.
These sheep are unqiue, as when buying their fleece or yarn you are helping to sustain a tradition and preserve an ancient flock of sheep that only truly exist in their natural environment on the wind swept island of North Ronaldsay.