This incident happened more than ten years ago, but after such a long time, the name and deeds of the sheep involved are still talked about with great relish, and that sheep was a prominent figure in the sheep world. This article will tell you the story of Shrek the Sheep.
Shaving is common for sheep raised by humans, but this sheep named Shrek has fought against fate. Shrek is a merino sheep, and its legend took place in 1998. Yes, this is a story that spans centuries.
Shrek was 3 years old at the time, living on a farm in New Zealand. In order to avoid shearing, he resolutely "run away from home". He left for a full 6 years. Unexpectedly, Shrek actually survived in the wild by eating bushes for a living.
When it was discovered in 2004, the sheep was hiding in a cave in the small town of Taalas on New Zealand's South Island. However, compared to 6 years ago, Shrek was simply another sheep. It became a walking "wool quilt", covered with thick wool, and looked like a fluffy, round ball and a soft cloud.
Normally, Merino sheep are sheared 5 times a year, but Shrek hadn't been sheared for several years when he was away from home, so you can imagine how thick the hair is. After finding Shrek, New Zealand quickly arranged for him to be shaved.
New Zealand, in conjunction with TV stations from many countries, broadcast Shrek's shaving process live. The poor sheep, who didn't want to be shaved before, are now being shaved under the watchful eyes of the whole world. And this also means that Shrek is completely famous all over the world.
Shearing for Shrek is the New Zealand shearing champion, with skilled shearing skills. In more than 20 minutes, the heavy wool was trimmed. The weight of the wool that Shrek cut is astonishing, reaching 54 pounds, which can be made into about 20 men's wool suits.
Shrek, who had taken off his load, looked so slender, perhaps because he was not used to such a light body, and he limped a little when he walked. The 54 pounds of wool it left behind were auctioned off, and the money was donated to children's medical charities.
Therefore, in the eyes of the New Zealand people, Shrek is not only a sheep with personality, but also a charity ambassador.
It's worth mentioning that Shrek's saga doesn't stop there. It was received by then-Prime Minister Helen Clark and was well received by many, with an appearance fee of more than $16,000. There is even a school that has become one of the richest schools in the area because of the writing and sale of books about it.
The magical Shrek has become one of the symbols of New Zealand. In 2011, Shrek, who was 17 years old (equivalent to 99 years old in humans), fell ill and was euthanized three weeks later, ending his wonderful life. Its ashes were scattered on New Zealand's highest peak.
Shrek is known for his dramatic experiences, but he's not the only sheep with a huge stockpile of wool.
In 2015, a group of hikers in southeastern Australia spotted a huge sheep and called for help when they noticed it was burned by urine from its wool. With the help of the Australian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the sheep named "Chris" came to the pasture, waiting for a shearing "operation".
Shearing Chris is also an expert, Australian sheep shearing champion Elkin. For smooth shearing, he collaborated with four assistants and injected anesthesia into the sheep. Elgin said Chris' wool had not been trimmed in more than six years.
This shearing took longer than the one Shrek had experienced, taking 42 minutes. During the shearing, Elgin also checks Chris's heartbeat to avoid accidents.
In the end, the wool cut from Chris weighed 84 pounds, which was enough to weave 30 sweaters, and Chris also broke the record and became "the sheep with the most wool in a single shearing".
The wool is also not used for ordinary commercial purposes, but is displayed in the National Museum of Australia. In addition, Chris's experience has also been included in the official book, which is also regarded as "famous in history".
