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Herdwick sheep numbers declining in native Lake District

For centuries the Herdwick sheep has been an important fixture of the Lake District fells.

But numbers of the breed, which Beatrix Potter fought to protect, have more than halved over the past 100 years from 357 to 157, according to the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association.

Farmers say the decline is due to the government's policy and view that "having fewer sheep protects the land and creates rewilding".

The Lake District National Park Authority says the breed is "central" to its "cultural heritage" and it is working with farmers to ensure the "future of uplands farming".

10 September 2020

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