Birth of rare lambs celebrated

Staff at the Rotorua Agrodome are celebrating the birth of their first lambs from the Arapawa Island strain of sheep.

The Arapawa lambs come from a flock of about 15 sheep being farmed at the tourism centre. Operations manager Allan Hale said the Agrodome had taken on the care of the endangered species in a bid to preserve their rare genetic strain.

"They are a pretty amazing breed," Mr Hale said. "We've taken the first lamb away from the flock and put him in the indoor display area and the visitors just love it," Mr Hale said.

A second lamb was born over the weekend.

The wild Arapawa sheep have a distinctive appearance with fine black wool and white heads. The older sheep also have curled horns on their heads.

While the origins of the Arapawa sheep are shrouded in mystery, they have lived on the tiny island of Arapawa, in the Marlborough Sounds, for at least 135 years.

According to the World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, one theory on the sheep's origin implies they are a Middle Eastern breed introduced by whalers, while another suggests they are descended from Australian Merinos.

The most intriguing theory is that the sheep were landed on Arapawa Island from a Spanish galleon as far back as the 1500s. According to Maori legend relating to the island, a galleon sailed into one of the island's bays 400 years ago and the crew befriended the local tribes.

But when the Spaniards stole Maori women, their men turned on them and torched the ship. The sheep escaped the wreck and swam ashore.

Arapawa Island has also had distinctive strains of goats and pigs.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)