In 1985, researchers began tracking wild Soay sheep on a remote Scottish island; over 24 years, the sheep became smaller, and a 2009 study linked the change to environmental variation and natural selection acting together

Wild Soay sheep on a remote Scottish island are shrinking, defying expectations. For over two decades, scientists observed a five percent decrease in average body weight. Milder winters, a key environmental shift, have relaxed natural selection, allowing smaller lambs to survive and reproduce. This, coupled with increased population density and altered food availability, explains the surprising trend, highlighting the complex interplay between environment and evolution.