Ouessant sheep

Quessant sheep is are breed of sheep which until the start of the 20th century was exclusive to the island of Quessant off the coast of Brittany. It was almost extinct when eventually saved by a group of aristocrats who let them graze of their lands. It is steel a rare breed today and the Quessant sheep are believed to be the smallest in the world since their height does not exceed 50 cm. Their distinctively small size is attributed to the malnutrition in the island. It is also believed that Quessant sheep were exported by a tribe of Vikings who transported them by ships.

Most Quessant sheep are either black or dark brown, while the males have big horns. The breed is primarily used for the production of wool since they have a very thick and dense layer of long hair. The islanders chose to reproduce black sheep because of their color of choice and black clothing was used even by brides in poor agricultural communities in southern Europe and Western Ireland until the start of 1900

In Paris, the city government recently began using a small herd of Ouessant sheep to graze public lands.