Flushing, N.Y.: -- The Queens Zoo is pleased to announce the arrival of Thomas, a Jacob's four-horned sheep. Thomas shares an exhibit with Emma and Phoebe, two other four-horns that came to the zoo last year. Zookeepers say Thomas is getting along quite well with his female friends and even hope to see lambs in the future. 

Jacob's sheep are currently listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, meaning the breed has fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States. Zoo officials acquired Thomas as part of a cooperative breeding program designed to help increase awareness of rare domestic breeds. So far, the zoo has three Jacob's four-horns, among many other breeds of sheep.

Both male and female Jacob's four-horns have thick coats of spotted black-and-white wool, but Thomas is easy to tell apart from ewes Emma and Phoebe: He's the one with the largest and longest set of horns! All three sheep look like cotton balls of cuteness, delighting those who visit their exhibit on the zoo's farm, where they share space with Suffolk, Leister, and baby-doll sheep.

The Wildlife Conservation Society conducts and participates in similar breeding programs at its facilities and around the world, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums-administered Species Survival Program that helps maintain genetic diversity among endangered species in captivity.

The Queens Zoo is located at 53-51 111th Street in Flushing Meadow's Corona Park and is open 365 days a year. Zoo hours are 10am to 4:30 pm weekdays, daily. Admission is $6.00 for adults, $2.25 for seniors, $2.00 for children ages 3-12, and free for children under 3. For general information, please call (718) 271-1500, or visit our web site at www.queenszoo.com

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony.  WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. www.wcs.org

Special Note to the Media: If you would like to guide your readers or viewers to a web link where they can make donations in support of helping save wildlife and wild places, please direct them to: www.wcs.org/donation