Bizarre HYBRID animal is accidentally created at a Dorset petting zoo
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Bizarre HYBRID animal is accidentally created at a petting zoo in Dorset after a ‘determined’ Shetland ewe snuck into the enclosure of a Valais ram
- The latest unusual cross was created at a petting zoo in Dorset
- Two ‘shalais’ were born after a Shetland ewe snuck into the enclosure of a Valais ram
From ligers to sea donks, some bizarre hybrid animals have emerged over the years.
Now the latest unusual crossbreed has sprung up in a petting zoo in Dorset – and it was completely by accident.
Two ‘shalais’ were born after a ‘determined’ Shetland ewe snuck into the enclosure of a Valais ram.
‘Shalais lambs are very rare, I’m pretty sure there are no others in Dorset,’ says Sandra Palmer-Snellin, director of Farmer Palmer’s.
‘Wallis sheep are usually kept purebred, so these two are very special.’
Two ‘shalais’ are born after a ‘determined’ Shetland ewe snuck into the enclosure of a Valais ram
The two unique animals – a male and a female – were born two weeks ago, months after their Sheltand ewe mother invaded the neighboring enclosure of a Valais ram.
She was only in the compound for an hour before staff noticed her absence, but she and an ram named Hank had plenty of time to start a family.
Mrs Palmer-Snellin said: ‘The new lambs are so beautiful, they almost look like calves because of their long legs and black spots on their faces.
‘Their mother is a dark brown Shetland sheep who lived in the field next to the Valais ram enclosure.
“In the spring, the animals and their natures have a way of getting what they want, so she decided to pay a visit to her neighbor.
“She managed to jump over a part of the fence that was a bit lower than the rest – she was pretty determined.
“The team noticed about an hour later that she had been in the pen, that’s all they needed.”
After the farm team found the ewe in the pen, they monitored her well-being until they could confirm she was pregnant.
Their mother (pictured with the lambs) is a dark brown Shetland sheep that lived in the field next to the Valais ram enclosure
She was only at the residence for an hour before staff noticed her absence, but she and an ram named Hank (pictured) had plenty of time to start a family
She gave birth to the two lambs unassisted two weeks ago, despite them being significantly larger than the average Shetland sheep baby.
Ms Palmer-Snellin added: ‘When they found her in the same field as a ram, we knew there was a chance. But when the lambs were born it was a very happy surprise.’
The farm has launched a competition on its Facebook page to name the new lambs, and there have already been some hilarious suggestions.
“Whoopsie & Daisy,” one suggested, while another joked, “Tina and Turner.”
The farm has launched a competition on its Facebook page to name the new lambs, and there have already been some hilarious suggestions
In recent years, scientists have identified many hybrid wildlife animals through subtle differences in their characteristics, and now believe some are born of climate change.
In 2010, a study was published in the journal Nature which listed 34 potential hybrid species that could occur in the Arctic.
This is because sea ice is rapidly melting due to global warming, and species that were once isolated are now forced to move to new areas to hunt.
As a result, they run into each other and mate, forming new hybrids that may eventually completely drive the original species out of the gene pool.