Fauna
Plant

Vegetable Sheep

Raoulia eximia

Also known as Tutāhuna, True Vegetable Sheep

Clinging to wind-swept South Island ridges, vegetable sheep form extremely dense woolly cushions that closely mimic grazing livestock from a distance. Thousands of tiny, hair-covered shoots pack together to store warmth, reduce moisture loss, and trap organic matter in harsh alpine environments. These long-lived mounds grow only a few millimeters each year, creating tiny self-contained micro-ecosystems above the tree line.

AlpineCushion PlantEndemic
Vegetable Sheep reference1 / 7
(c) Pieter Pelser, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Pieter Pelser · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Chamois
  • Himalayan Tahr
  • Hares
ThreatsClimate change, invasive mammalian grazers, trampling by alpine hikers
HabitatsAlpine scree slopes, exposed rocky ridges, high-altitude fellfields
Life span50–100+ years
Classification
  1. FamilyAsteraceae
  2. SpeciesRaoulia eximia
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Recognizable as huge, pale grey or yellowish woolly mounds hugging exposed rocky ridges.
Support conservation
Observe from established hiking paths and avoid touching or resting gear on the slow-growing cushions.
Responsible observation
  • Viewing Distance: Keep to marked tracks to avoid stepping on brittle cushion structures that take decades to recover.
  • Observation Timing: Look for delicate yellowish flower heads embedded in the tightly packed tips during mid-summer.
Related species
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