Time for something a little lighter
Shrek was an ordinary Merino sheep residing in South Island, New Zealand. One day, he decided to escape his enclosure and ventured into nearby caves. For six years, he lived on his own until his owner, John Perrian, discovered him. John remarked upon seeing him,”He looked like some biblical creature.”
While certain sheep breeds naturally shed their fleece, like the Bighorn sheep in North America, Merino sheep don’t. Their wool persistently grows, potentially obstructing their sight, a condition known as “wool blindness.”
Over millennia, domesticated sheep have adapted to human grooming habits, with their domestication traceable to 11,000 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia where they provided meat, milk, and wool.
Six wool-growing years later, Shrek had amassed enough fleece to tailor 20 suits for sizable men. In total, his fleece weighed 60 pounds. This hefty fleece was sheared off on live television and auctioned to benefit pediatric medical charities. Shrek even met the Prime Minister and inspired multiple children’s books. Regrettably, in 2011, Shrek died at 16 years old.
Via Fascinating on X/Twitter.
Tags: Sheep
Phil Ebersole's Blog 
January 20, 2024 at 9:41 am |
That photo of Shrek is particularly sweet. I am very fond of sheep (and pigs!) so I was already familiar with his adventures. I am sorry to learn of his demise, but glad that he met the Prime Minister and lived a happy life after he was found. He did indeed look like some biblical creature!
I have some photos saved from the Internet, including one of Shrek I suspect, of other sheep who are found and saved, just like he was. It seems to happen most often in New Zealand.
Thank you for sharing this lovely account. It is 7:40 AM in Arizona where I live, and this was so nice to read upon waking today.
LikeLike