Scientists solve mystery of Scotland's shrinking sheep (page 2)
Shorter, milder winters caused by global warming to blame for steady decrease in size of St Kilda sheep, experts sayThe mysterious shrinking sheep of St Kilda sounds like a job for super-sleuth Sherlock Holmes.The case involves a rare herd of wild sheep on the remote Scottish island - known in Scottish Gaelic as Hirta - that are refusing to bow to conventional evolutionary pressure, which says big is best. Instead, they have steadily decreased in size since the 1980s.Scientists have now stepped in to solve the conundrum, and fingered the culprit as the new Moriarty of mankind: global warming.The experts say shorter and milder winters mean that lambs do not need to put as much weight on during their first few months of life. Smaller animals that would have perished in harsh winters a few decades ago can now survive to their first birthday. As a result, the average weight of the sheep has dropped by 81g each year.The difference is too small to see with the naked eye, but it is important because it shows how ani
Scientists solve mystery of Scotland's shrinking sheep
Shorter, milder winters caused by global warming to blame for steady decrease in size of St Kilda sheep, experts sayThe mysterious shrinking sheep of St Kilda sounds like a job for super-sleuth ...
Thu 2 Jul 09 from Guardian.co.uk
Baaad news? Global warming now shrinking sheep
Like the wool sweater that emerges from the dryer a size too small, global warming seems to be shrinking sheep.
Thu 2 Jul 09 from USA today
Baaad news? Global warming now shrinking sheep, Thu 2 Jul 09 from AP
Baaad news? Global warming now shrinking sheep, Mon 6 Jul 09 from Examiner
Sheep shrinking in Scotland; climate change takes its toll
The average weight of sheep in a flock on a remote island has been falling in small but steady increments since 1985. Milder winters mean smaller animals but a larger herd. Along with polar ...
Thu 2 Jul 09 from L.A. Times
Soay sheep shrinking in climate change
LONDON, July 3 (UPI) -- Milder weather brought about by climate change is causing Soay sheep to shrink on an uninhabited British island, scientists said.
Fri 3 Jul 09 from UPI
Climate change and the mystery of the shrinking sheep
Changing winter conditions are causing Scotland's wild Soay sheep to get smaller despite the evolutionary benefits of having a large body, researchers report in a study that shows how climate ...
Thu 2 Jul 09 from Biology News
Holy Shrinking Sheep! Global Warming More Powerful Than Natural Selection, Say Researchers
Just when you thought evolution couldn't get attacked by anyone else, a zoologist writing in Science and his colleagues are contending that changing winter conditions due to global warming ...
Thu 2 Jul 09 from Scientific Blogging
Sheep shrink on Scottish isle as world warms, says Stanford biologist
Wild sheep on the Scottish island of Hirta have been diminishing in size for over 20 years and now researchers have puzzled out why: it's the heat.
Mon 6 Jul 09 from Science Blog
Sheep shrink on Scottish isle as world warms, says Stanford biologist, Mon 6 Jul 09 from e! Science News
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