Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini

Born in the 13th century from the cross between Spanish Merinos rams and Vissane sheep, Sopravvissana sheep has become widespread from Lazio to Umbria, the Marches, Tuscany, and Abruzzi. With a medium size (60/70 kilos in males and 40/50 in females), it has white fleece and the head with a slightly convex silhouette in males and straight in females. Rams have strong spiral-shaped horns, while sheep have no horns. Appreciated in the past for its wool, today Sopravvissana sheep is endangered. At the moment, there are about 3,000 heads and many of them (about 1,000) live in Sibillini Park. Here, Sopravvissane sheep are bred for their meat: lambs are sold when they weigh 10/12 kilos (and they are two or three months old).