UK sheep numbers fall to lowest level in four decades

The UK's sheep population has fallen to its lowest level in 40 years. Fewer sheep are now living on the country's hills, and this means less lamb is reaching British dinner tables. Farmers in upland areas, such as the Yorkshire Dales, have faced growing economic pressure for many years. Some land managers have already made big changes. In 2004, sheep were removed from the limestone hills of Ingleborough, which is the second-highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. Traditional hill farming has depended on sheep for generations, but that way of life is now under serious threat. If numbers continue to fall, the UK will produce even less of its own lamb.