Buzz
Picture this: you have a sheep, a goat, and a bioengineering lab at your disposal. What could you create? Enter the geep, a unique creature formed by blending fertilized embryos from sheep and goats in a laboratory, then implanting the combined embryo into either a sheep or goat. The result isn’t a hybrid but a chimera—an organism containing two distinct sets of genetic material within its cells.
As a result, the geep resembles a patchwork creature, with some areas displaying the sleek fur of a goat and others showcasing the fluffy wool of a sheep. For a visual of this intriguing animal, check out the image on Wikipedia.
However, things take a technical turn here. Some scientists, such as Dr. Gary B. Anderson
The Daily Mail article referenced above discusses a rare natural hybrid between a goat and a sheep, produced through traditional breeding methods (as covered by Neatorama). Goats possess 60 chromosomes, while sheep have 54; one such hybrid from Botswana, famously known as The Toast of Botswana, had 57 chromosomes and was infertile. For further details on these genuine hybrids, including an image of the Botswana animal, explore this BBC article or visit Wikipedia.
To dive deeper into the fascinating world of geeps, make sure to check out Radiolab episode #404: So-Called Life. (While the episode explores various genetically engineered creatures, it features some intriguing geep-related content near the conclusion.)
Finally, avoid using the term "shoat" when referring to these animals. Despite seeming like a clever blend of "sheep" and "goat," shoat actually refers to a young pig. Credit to Wikipedia for the clarification!
