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Home > Blogs > Things that Pop into my Head > Permalink Global Warming Causes Shrinking Sheep
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Things that Pop into my Head Wild sheep on a Scottish island are getting smaller, according to a recent study. On the island of Hirta, a study published in Science has discovered that the average weight of its wild sheep was gradually decreasing. One theory is that global warming could be partly responsible for this as the winters have warmer and wetter, making it easier for smaller, weaker sheep to survive. Food is more plentiful also in the warmer, wetter climate also increasing the chances of survival. The offspring of these sheep tend to be small themselves, perpetuating the cycle. Natural selection still figures in the equation of course, but its not as significant as it once was, the research suggests. Ordinarily, classic evolutionary theory would predict that the sheep would become gradually larger, but this change demonstrates that global warming is having unexpected effect on today's species.The scientists hope to use the data collected to predict flock changes in the future. Spread the Word
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