Shaggy Valais Blacknose sheep, Matterhorn, Switzerland

Shaggy sheep story

While the looming Matterhorn hides its nose in the clouds, snouts are about all we get to see of these sheep's faces. An all-covering coat of wool is essential when you call the windy Swiss foothills home, and the Valais Blacknose is well equipped to brave these slopes for a snack of alpine grass. A perseverant breed with six centuries of history here in southwestern Switzerland, the Blacknose has only recently been introduced abroad—to the United Kingdom in 2014 and North America in 2018. Between cuckoo clocks and these cuddly critters, could Switzerland be cornering the export market on cuteness?