Soay

/ ˈsəʊeɪ /

noun

1. a breed of small horned sheep having long legs and dark brown wool that is plucked rather than shorn; found mainly on St Kilda where they were probably introduced by the Vikings

Word History and Origins

Origin of Soay¹

named after Soay, an island in the St Kilda group, where they were first found

Example Sentences

Sheep taken from Soay were raised as livestock on Hirta, the largest island, until the last inhabitants abandoned St Kilda in 1930, taking their animals with them.

From BBC

They said their analysis of the St Kilda Soay Sheep Project's figures suggested more than 1,000 sheep, which included lambs, had died in some years.

From BBC

A spokesperson said: "The Soay sheep on St Kilda are considered wild animals due to their unique history of adapting to life without management for many generations."

From BBC

Prof Josephine Pemberton, who ran the St Kilda Soay Sheep Project for many years, said intervention could lead to the population becoming less resilient to disease and parasites.

From BBC

Sheep were first brought to St Kilda in prehistoric times, and the rare breed is named after the archipelago's small, uninhabited island of Soay.

From BBC