A genetic wonder

One of the most remarkable cases of adaptation to a coastal environment marked by heavy rainfall, high sali-nity and oppressive humidity is that of the Garole sheep. Found in West Bengal's Sunderbans delta, it is a small breed, with a life span of 12-14 years. An adult weighs around 10-14 kg. A 1993 estimate puts the number of this sheep at 50,000.

The characteristics that make the Garole special are its ability to lamb twice in 13 months, its tendency to give birth to twins and triplets, an unconventional foraging habit and a tremendous resistance to disease. The lowlands in the Sunderbans delta remain waterlogged for six months at a stretch. The Garole can wade through knee-deep water and swim across inundated fields. It can graze standing in six-inch deep water and yet not develop foot rot, unlike other breeds. The only disease to which it is vulnerable is sheep pox.

Bred largely by landless and marginal farmers, Garole are raised by farming communities like the Haldars for meat. Subhash Bose, deputy director in charge of the animal resource development department in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, who has studied the sheep, says that Garole's ability to breed fast makes it invaluable to farmers who rely on animal care as a secondary source of income. Farmers retain a few males and sell off the rest of the animals in their herd in about three years.

These traits have also generated interest among scientists, who hope that they can be transferred to other wool-yielding breeds. Several pairs of Garole have been taken to the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) and the Central Sheep Breeding Farm in Maharashtra, and the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute in Rajasthan. Australia has patented the booroola gene, believed to have originated from the Garole, which makes Merinos highly fecund. NARI wan-ted to confirm this in a collaborative study with the University of New England. The project was approved by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, but the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) refused to sanction it, saying that it doubted the institute's ability. NARI director Chanda Nimbkar says that the ICAR is acting like a dog in the manger, and would rather thwart scientific research than encourage it.