CAMPBELL ISLAND SHEEP

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25549, 17 July 1948, Page 5

CAMPBELL ISLAND SHEEP

Investigation To Be Made MOB RUNNING WILD FOR 20 YEARS From Our Own Reporter WELLINGTON, July 16. Considerable interest has been shown for a number of years in the fate of the sheep abandoned on Campbell Island, 400 miles south of New Zealand, in 1927. A number of expeditions to the island to shear the sheep have been planned, and some have succeeded in getting wool. An aspect .that has had the greatest interest for sheepfarrpers is the condition of the sheep after 20 years during which they have run wild.

A study of the sheep population of the" island is being undertaken by Lincoln College, and skins and samples of wool will be brought oack from the island when the next party returns. The party at present on the island under the Public Works Department’s Aerodrome Service consists of two radio' operators, an ionosphere observer, a meteorological observer, and a Public Works Department handyman. Some interesting observations about the type and condition of the sheep of the island were made to “The Press” by Mr J. H. Sorensen, a naturalist, who is now in Wellington, and who has spent more than four years at Campbell Island. Mr Sorensen hopes to return to the island soon to continue his studies of wild life. Mr Sorensen estimates, that there are about 1500 sheep in a wild state on the island. His main investigations into the sheep population were made several years ago, and he then reported as follows on his findings. “The sheep appear to be a RomneyMerino cross. Much of the native flora has been damaged by them, several plant associations disturbed, and new ones created. The total of sheep counted in 1942 was 1435. 'This number will not represent all the sheep on the island. Most of'the main areas have been gone over, but it is not possible on such trips to count accurately all the sheep present. Care has been taken to avoid counting sheep twice, and only those definitely witn or without lambs have been counted. “The census probably represents about one-half of the sheep present on the island. The lamb percentage is very low. Multiple births are uncommon and only a few sets of twins were observed. No larger number was met with. The sheep seem very healthy and only two have been noted limping, as if with footrot. Only one hogget killed for mutton showed any sign of a pathological condition in a diseased gland in one hind leg. Some Mortality

“Because of the long fleeces carried, there is some mortality through sheep getting cast or falling into sea-ele-phant wallows or other holes.” Since making the above report, Mr Sorensen has had another opportunity to observe the Campbell Island sheep and his later investigations confirmed his belief that the low lamb percentage was caused by heavy fleeces carried by the sheep. “It was quite obvious that many ewes could not be covered by the rams because of the excessive wool and dags carried,” he reported. The limping noted was not caused by footrot, but by excessive hoof growth. There is no footrot on the island. The population has fallen of recent years and there are two reasons for this. A severe winter in 1944 caused many deaths, and the taking of all lambs or hoggets by resident parties for some years also caused a decline in numbers. A rough estimate of the present number of sheep on the island is about 1500.”

Most recent reports from the party now on the Campbell Islands indicate that the lambing percentage is still falling off. The leader wrote to the Aerodrome Service in Wellington a few months ago: “The sheep are roaming wild. Mobs of a dozen or so are sighted, but there are few lambs. At he most there are two with each mob seen.”

Campbell Island, 42 square miles in rea, is 400 miles south of New Zeasnd. The ketch Ranui transports men nd materials to the island, which was iccupied early in the war years by he “Cape” Expedition. The Public .Vorks Department still maintains a taff of five men on the Island—six lays’ sailing distance from Wellington —for meteorological work. Sheep were liberated on the island about 1890. In 1896 the island was taken up as a sheep run, some thousands of sheep were introduced, and a dwelling-house, woolshed, yards, and dip were built. In 1903 it was recorded that there were about 4500 sheep and in 1907 about 8000. The distance from the market and the unfavourable weather caused the run to be abandoned in 1927. several thousand sheep being left behind. Little remains to-day to show the enterprise of the past. The shepherd’s cottage, the woolshed and yards are almost flattened to the ground. Much of the native edible verdure has been eaten off, and various introduced grasses barely hold their own in favoured localities.