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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Charlotte Graham-McLay

New stats show New Zealand still has more sheep than people. But that could change

Farmer Ross Turner feeds his sheep hay in his snow-covered paddocks on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand - (Ap)

New Zealand, long the butt of jokes for its disproportionately large sheep population, is seeing its human numbers creep closer to those of its ovine counterparts. While sheep still outnumber people, the gap is narrowing, according to new government data.

The latest figures reveal a ratio of 4.5 sheep per person, a significant drop from the 22 sheep per person recorded in 1982. This shift reflects a changing agricultural landscape in New Zealand, where sheep farming once reigned supreme.

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