🌿Native Nature

Sheep

Ovis aries

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia ›Phylum: Chordata ›Class: Mammalia ›Order: Artiodactyla ›Family: Bovidae ›Genus: Ovis

About

The sheep (Ovis aries) is a quadrupedal, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries. Numbering a little over one billion, domestic sheep are also the most numerous species of sheep. An adult female sheep is referred to as a ewe (/juː/), an...

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientific name of Sheep?
The scientific name of Sheep is Ovis aries.
What is the conservation status of Sheep?
The Sheep has a conservation status of NNA.
What kingdom does Sheep belong to?
Sheep belongs to the kingdom Animalia.
What phylum does Sheep belong to?
Sheep belongs to the phylum Chordata.
What class does Sheep belong to?
Sheep belongs to the class Mammalia.
What order does Sheep belong to?
Sheep belongs to the order Artiodactyla.
What family does Sheep belong to?
Sheep belongs to the family Bovidae.
What genus does Sheep belong to?
Sheep belongs to the genus Ovis.

In the News

The king of the Andes: How a village learned to coexist with condors

PÁRAMO EL ALMORZADERO, Colombia — Doris Torres is a sheepherder who grew up seeing Andean condors as enemies. In this remote village high in the Colombian Andes, the birds were blamed for livestock losses and often killed through poisoning or shooting — persecution that helped push their population to the brink. But as Torres learned […]

Mongabay · 8/15/2026

How to stitch a massive wildlife corridor through the Rocky Mountains

BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada — On a sunny Thursday in May, Kent Kebe had to scrape yet another bighorn sheep carcass off Highway 93/95 running through Radium, British Columbia. The necropsy confirmed what Kebe, the village’s protective service manager, already knew: A car collision killed the ram. Roadkill deaths hit this community hard. Residents love their […]

Mongabay · 7/22/2026

Farm workers at higher risk amid screwworm outbreak in US south-west

Those who work with animals are at greater risk for infection, but face challenges in accessing healthcare Agricultural workers are among the highest risk group for human infection during the screwworm outbreak in the American south, yet they frequently face challenges in accessing public health – an ongoing concern amid zoonotic spillovers such as H5N1 bird flu. Screwworm has been detected in goats and sheep in three Texas counties in recent days, bringing the total to 16 known cases among animals and none reported in people. Continue reading...

The Guardian Environment · 6/24/2026