Sheep owner, Rafael Abgottspon, monitors descent of Walliser Blacknose flocks from high, summer grazing areas, to lower elevations for the Oberwallis, Switzerland winter months.
Native to the Swiss Alps region of Oberwallis, the rare Walliser (Valais in French) Black Nose sheep is designated an UNESCO World Heritage breed. Known as a domesticate as early as the15th century, Black Nose numbers today are estimated to be no more than 14,000 animals, bordering on “endangered species” classification.