The bloodlines of Gulf Coast Native sheep can be traced back to the original proliferation of
Churra sheep in the New World during the 15th century by the Spanish. Later, these
Criollo-type sheep mixed intermittently with British and French breeds. Some strains may also show
Tunis influence. Thousands of Gulf Coast sheep roamed free range over pastures in the South, except for regular roundups. In an age before modern husbandry methods, these sheep adapted to the climate of the South or perished, breeding in decades of resistance to the conditions of the region. Eventually special strains the breed appeared based on the area, such as for Louisiana, Texas, or Florida. By the mid 20th century, Gulf Coast Native sheep supplied nearly all the raw wool for the Southern United States and hundreds of thousands of them were in existence. and are included in
Slow Food USA's
Ark of Taste. Research flocks have been kept by the
University of Florida,
Louisiana State University, and by the
USDA Agricultural Research Service in Arkansas.
Zoo Atlanta has also acquired a flock. ==Characteristics==