Scottish sheep are shrinking, and not a UFO in sight
by Alan Harten
July 4, 2009
Scientists made their 25th visit to the Scottish Island of Hirta in the Outer Hebrides to complete a study and made a stunning discovery; the sheep on the island were shrinking, literally.
Each year of the study the sheep shrank by 81g, about 5% of their body mass, and scientist think that this is because of climate change rather than natural adaptation.
Natural changes would have led to larger body sizes, not the smaller body mass that was exhibited.
The sheep on the island are not tended, which is why the change is evident as farmers choose sheep based on their size to get the highest profits, which is why the fall in the sheeps’ mass may have gone unnoticed previously.
Humans have also altered in size, as the average height in the UK has increased over 5cm over the last century due to different nutrition patterns.
Additionally, medicine advances have increased the average Briton’s lifespan approximately five hours a day.
Yet, Professor Coulson, co-author of the paper and specialist at Imperial College in London in population biology, said that humans that were not affected by cultural and technological change like the sheep on the island could also show signs of climate change.
Coulson went on to state that a rising number of climate change related alterations have been observed in animals such as marine iguanas, fish, North American squirrels, and sticklebacks.
The Hirta study started in 1986 and involved 30 separate surveys of the sheep who were measured as lambs, yearlings, and then at various times throughout adulthood.
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Pray may I ask, where does “ufo”, absent or otherwise, come into the subject matter of this article, as implied by it’s title?
Also, hasn’t it ever crossed your mind that the previous spates of unsolved livestock mutilations over the decades, may have had something to do with these current alterations in sheep sizes? along with strange evolutionary happenings with many other species..indeed, with the way that mankind is evolving? Notice how the shapes of peoples faces are changing compared to say 30 years ago. For instance, male sperm counts are falling, females have broader mouths, and are becoming more masculine etc etc and vice verca. Genetic tinkerings by our interdimensional alien overseers…those who seeded mankind on earth in the first instance? Of course you will either simply delete this post or laugh at it, brain-dead muppets that you are.
Comment by Ken — July 5, 2009 @ 11:52 am
I suppose next that North Korean’s have gotten smaller because of climate change!
I have little respect for Imperial College of Londong with a research professor of this caliber on staff. What a joke.
I am confident that there is at least one far more critically relevant factor than climate change that may be causing the sheep to get smaller.
My initial impressions were “Was the climate/temperature readings reliably taken each day?” And “Did those temperatures change in proportion to sheep weight?” But upon questioning these things a far more likely relevant factor hit me, “Wasn’t evolutions ’survival of the fittest’ the main reason that anything changed?” A far more relevant factor couldn’t accurately ignore “For example, in 1989, the population fell by two-thirds within 12 weeks.” where the ‘carrying capacity’ of the island was exceeded. I can only wonder if the sheep population ever stabilized since the island was evacuated of human predators, or if any island of such size can really ever number stabilize a large-mammal population. I’d like to know how sheep weight and size changed after 1989 for a few years, when the island had opportunity for vegetation regrowth to feed much less sheep. I’ll bet size and weight increased, regardless of any tangible climate change.
I look forward to any opportunity to challenge th accuracy of climate change being a relevant factor for the analysis, one way or the other.
Thanks,
KaySea
Comment by Kaysea — July 6, 2009 @ 3:57 pm