The Animal Production and Health Laboratory of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture helped the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka to initiate a study on Jaffna sheep, an endangered indigenous breed in Sri Lanka. The scope of the study was to assess the genetic diversity of the Jaffna sheep, to estimate genetic relationships between Jaffna local and South Indian sheep breeds, to assess population structure and genetic admixture in Jaffna local sheep, and to evaluate phylogenetic evolution and phylogeography of Jaffna local sheep using short tandem repeat markers and mitochondrial DNA control regions. The results of this study showed that Jaffna local sheep have low genetic diversity and a consequent high inbreeding coefficient compared to other major South Indian breeds. They also confirmed that little gene flow exists between South Indian sheep and the Jaffna local population. Taken together, these results highlight the genetic uniqueness of the breed and the urgency to implement a selective breeding programme in the native tract to prevent genetic dilution and foster conservation of this important indigenous genetic resource of Sri Lanka. This and many other stories are included in the July 2021 newsletter from the Animal Production & Health Section of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre. The 36-page newsletter gives an overview of their past and upcoming events, ongoing projects and publications and is issued twice a year. See https://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/Newsletters/aph-74.pdf or contact [email protected] for more information.