With Morocco’s sheep herds dwindling at an alarming rate, King Mohammed VI made a rare break with tradition by urging families to forego buying sheep to sacrifice during the upcoming Eid Al-Adha.

Eid al-Adha, to take place in June, commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim, or Abraham, to sacrifice his son on God's command. Muslims mark the event by slaughtering sheep or goats. The meat is shared among family and donated to the poor.

King Mohammed VI is asking Moroccans not to slaughter sheep during the Feast of Sacrifice in early June. The Moroccan king is doing so because the livestock population has already shrunk considerably due to the severe drought Morocco is facing.

In an unprecedented move, King Mohammed VI of Morocco has urged citizens to forgo the traditional purchase of sheep for sacrifice during the upcoming Eid Al-Adha holiday. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

With the nation's herd reduced by drought and prices rising due to inflation, King Mohammed VI has asked the public to refrain from slaughtering sheep. View on euronews

Sheep come running when Larbi El Ghazouani pours alfalfa and straw into their troughs twice a day. The 55-year-old farmer had counted on selling the bulk of his 130 sheep to Moroccans preparing for early June’s Eid al-Adha holiday,