The number of Herdwick sheep in the Lake District has more than halved over the past century, according to the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association. The breed, once numbering 357, now stands at just 157.
Farmers attribute the decline to government policies that encourage fewer sheep on the land to promote rewilding. The Herdwick, a breed famously championed by Beatrix Potter, has been a fixture of the Lake District fells for centuries.
The Lake District National Park Authority has acknowledged the breed's importance, describing it as "central" to the area's cultural heritage. The authority says it is working with farmers to secure the future of uplands farming.
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