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Culture, Faith, Natural History

Animals of the Nativity – The Sheep

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Both the sheep and shepherds play a vital part in the Nativity story because of their symbolism. The shepherds at that time would have been of a lowly class and were humble.  The shepherds were the first people to be told of Jesus’s birth because he represents God’s lamb the ultimate sacrifice and therefore, no helpless lambs need to die for people’s sins.  Sheep feature throughout the bible as they symbolise new life in the Nativity and at Easter. 

The Annunciation to the Shepherds by National Gallery of Art is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:8

mouflon by BioDivLibrary is licensed under CC-PDM 1.0

The Mouflon sheep, Ovis orientalis orientalis is the ancestor and of which there are two species that all domestic sheep have descended from.  Their coats are reddish brown with a light-coloured saddle and dark brown stripes. The rams have striking horns that measure twenty -six to thirty-three inches in length and both rams and even ewes developing roman noses.  Historically the mouflon sheep had a large range that spanned across northern and eastern Iraq, Iran, and the Caucasus, where they inhabited the mountain ranges.  Additionally, mouflon sheep were previously bred in the Balkans and Crimea peninsula, as well as the Mediterranean islands.  Currently, they are about three thousand mouflon sheep left in Cyprus and these form another subspecies.

Culture, Faith, Natural History

Animals of the Nativity – The Ox

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The ox is commonly placed alongside the donkey in the Nativity as they both represent different elements of Jesus’s life. A book from the medieval period called French Hours, illustrates the manger displayed in a domestic setting showing how these two animals are opposites. The donkey is playful as the baby is touching it whereas, the ox is serious as some believe that an ox is there to show Christ’s sacrifice.

Photo by Jessica Lewis Creative on Pexels.com

The origins of the ox Bos primigenius– aurochs an extinct cow species which inhabited Africa, Europe, and Asia an early wild ancestor of Bos taurus domestic cattle. The earliest remains of Bos primigenius aurochs are from two million years ago and were discovered in India. The aurochs were larger than their later domestic descents with males weighing up to a thousand kilos, making them desirable to Neanderthals and men. Aurochs were subsequently hunted from Ancient Egypt to Rome where they were used for fighting and by the thirteenth century, there was only a small number left in eastern Europe and the last individual aurochs went extinct in 1627 in Jaktorów, Poland. This one ancestor has led to five wild species of cows which have been domesticated. 

It has been widely debated by scholars if there was an ox and donkey even present at the birth of Jesus and in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, no animals feature. In the seventh to eighth century AD the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, Chapter 14 states that:

And on the third day after the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the most blessed Mary went forth out of the cave, and entering a stable, placed the child in the stall, and the ox and the ass adored Him. Then was fulfilled that which was said by Isaiah the prophet, saying: The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib. [2] The very animals, therefore, the ox and the ass, having Him in their midst, incessantly adored Him.

News, The Climate Crisis, Wildlife Conservation

Developers are Pushed to Reconsider plans for Contentious Wash Barrage in East Anglia

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Plans have been put forward on The Wash in East Anglia to build an ‘unworkable’ tidal barrage regardless of the damage it could cause. The estuary would be redeveloped to produce electricity, which will cost nearly double per MWh compared to any modest carbon energy source and have a major impact on one UK’s most important wetlands. 

Gateway to the Wash National Nature Reserve by Bob Jones is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

The RSPB, alongside the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, and Wild Ken Hill Estate have joined forces to ask the government and developers to reassess this proposal and to avoid devastating impact on the habitat and wildlife. 

The Wash estuary is home to several species, including England’s largest common seal population, and salt marshes which are feeding grounds for curlews and oystercatchers.  Building a tidal barrage would essentially modify the intertidal habitats that animals rely on.  A barrier would be erected across The Wash’s mouth, altering the tidal flow both in and out of the estuary and might lead to more flooding and substantial coastal erosion.

Businessman, James Sutcliffe, CEO of Centre Port Holdings Ltd, is managing the plans, which now include a deep-water port. Construing a deep-water port in the shallow waters of the Wash could be challenging because intense dredging would need to be maintained. Currently, it’s not clear what impact this would have on the ports of Boston and King’s Lynn. 

Centre Port Holdings Ltd, is planning to bring about a major source of tidal energy to 600,000 homes and businesses, creating local job opportunities such as multi-skilled apprenticeships and working with schools and universities, levelling up the coastal towns of Boston, Skegness, Kings Lynn, and Wisbech.  Additionally, major flood defences are going to be built to ensure the Wash’s nature reserves and wildlife areas do not disappear. This could happen within two generations. 

Photo by Stephane Hurbe on Pexels.com

Nick Bruce-White, Director of RSPB England, says

“It’s absolutely necessary to look at where the UK sources its energy and how we produce more of it ourselves from renewable sources, but we have to make sure we’re striking the right balance for nature.

“The Wash is one of the most complex coastal habitats, known for its hydrology and stunning range of wildlife. Spending millions of pounds on assessments and surveys is a waste of time and money that could be better spent on more workable, established solutions to generate green energy, such as wind and solar power.”

Adding,

“Based on the current evidence that demonstrates the destruction this would bring to The Wash, we consider this project a non-starter.”

At a time when the UK is reconsidering its energy strategy and moving towards green alternatives, the balance between protecting nature and addressing the climate crisis is likely to become more complex in the future.