The country is witnessing a steady decline in its sheep population, with an annual drop of approximately five to six per cent. This is according to the National Sheep Farm in Bumthang. Factors contributing to the decline include dwindling profits, and the persistent threat of wildlife, according to officials at the centre.
One of the villages experiencing decline in the number of sheep is Zhurey in Chumey Gewog. Zhurey village has around eight households and most residents here rear sheep.
But over the years, villagers have been grappling with wildlife predation, resulting in a significant reduction in their livestock.
A shed once used to house around 30 sheep. The villagers say that wild animals took all the sheep one night, and ever since, it has remained empty.
“We try our best to take care of the sheep, but it has been affected by wildlife predation. We lose at least one or two sheep to the wild animals every day. There used to be a time when we used to have around 30 to 40 sheep. Now, we just have eight or nine,” said Karma Tenzin, a sheep herder.
Today, there are more than 80 sheep in Zhurey village. Villagers say, some two years ago, there were more than 100 sheep.
Likewise, the data collected by the National Sheep Farm reveals that the country saw a significant decrease of around 75 per cent in the sheep population since the 1980s, with a notable six per cent decline observed between 2021 and 2022 alone.
“Currently, in sheep rearing, people cannot make much money apart from just selling wool. And sheep rearing requires labourers and you have to pay the labourers. So, that’s why the practice is diminishing,” said Sonam Jamtsho, Manager of National Sheep Farm.
Though the practice of sheep farming is declining, officials say that there are some people who show interest and ask for more sheep from the centre.
In order to continue preserving the practice of sheep rearing, the National Sheep Farm provides sheep and free training to farmers to equip them with the necessary skills.
“Things are better now because the government has provided us with sheep,” said Samten Choden, a sheep herder.
“The centre provided us with a six-day training on wool carding. They also trained us how to shear wool with the machine, but it was a little difficult to learn,” said Sonam Lhamo, another sheep herder.
Moreover, the centre emphasises on the need to diversify products beyond weaving cloths like yathra and Bumthang mathra.
“We have been searching online to find new products that can be made from wool. There are processes like wet felting, dry felting and different ways to knit wool that can be used to generate interesting products like clothes and toys. If we can take this idea to the farmers that just might encourage people to keep rearing sheep,” said Sonam Jamtsho, Manager of National Sheep Farm.
Currently, there are around 10,000 sheep in Bhutan. Besides Bumthang, farmers in some parts of Samtse, Trongsa, Trashigang and Wangdue Phodrang rear sheep.
Karma Samten Wangda
Edited by Tshering Zam
