Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430080306.abs The electrophoretic variation of blood proteins (hemoglobin, transferrin, adenylatekinase, and phosphoglucomutase) was studied in a population of 21 barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) living at Frankfurt Zoological Gardens. A polymorphism in hemoglobin was sufficient for pedigree analysis in most cases. It could be demonstrated that one female Barbary sheep cared for a lamb that genetically was not its own descendant. “Mismothering” has also been reported from domestic sheep. We suggest this to be critical when basing pedigree assumptions for stud-book purposes merely on behavioral evidence. Biochemical pedigree control is recommended for the genetic management of endangered social caprines during bottleneck phases of population recovery.