Red Maasai sheep

Though less productive than some other breeds raised in East Africa, they are valued for their hardiness in arid conditions and their relatively stronger resistance to internal parasites.

Although their origin is unclear, Red Maasai sheep are endemic to Kenya and have long been a part of the farming cultures of the Great Rift Valley.

Today, fewer purebred Red Maasai sheep remain, and crossbreeds are the majority,[4] making the future of the breed uncertain.

[5] In Africa, endoparasites in particular can cause large livestock losses, because smallholder farmers that also raise crops often rely on shared grazing land.

[7][8] This resistance is potentially of great value to other sheep operations due to the significant financial losses caused by parasites in other sheep-producing regions.