A wildly overgrown sheep roaming regional Australia was stripped off its 35kg fleece – a weight even greater than that of the famous New Zealand sheep Shrek, who was captured in 2005 after six years of free-roaming.
The merino ram, called Baarack by rescuers, was discovered wandering alone with an extremely overgrown woolen coat, and was promptly shaved to save his life.
Kyle Behrend, of the Edgar’s Mission farm reserve, told Reuters it appeared that Baarack “once owned a sheep” that had escaped. Merino sheep do not shed their fur and should be shaved at least annually as their wool continues to grow.
The furry sheep was found near Lancefield, Victoria, and rescuers said it “made a living” by eating tiny shoots of grass.
“He had once had ear tags, but they seem to have been torn off by the thick, matted fur around his face,” Behrend said. “He was in a little bad shape. He was underweight and could barely see through all the wool around his face. “
Baarack is the latest in a long line of very large and woolly sheep making international headlines.
In 2005, Shrek became a beloved celebrity in New Zealand after dodging capture and growing to a massive size for six years.
VERY BIG SHEEP
He was eventually shaved off his 27kg fleece and even met New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark before passing away in 2011.
A 2014 analysis by Guardian Australia estimated that Shrek’s fleece could be used to produce 47.3 jumpers.
Based on a 70% yield assumption, Baarack’s fleece would be the equivalent of 61.3 wool sweaters, or 490 pairs of men’s business socks.
Shrek’s legacy lives on in his homeland, with TVNZ announcing Baarack’s discovery with the headline, “Lost Australian sheep evokes memories of our own Shrek.”
In 2014, another escaped merino ram named Shaun the sheep was found in New Zealand with a coat weighing 23.5 kg.
And last year in Australia, an escaped ewe – eventually named Ewenice – was released from her 20kg fleece after being discovered in central Victoria.
But all sheep, including Baarack, are still pale in comparison to Chris, a Canberran ram found in 2005 with a world record of 41 kg of fur – twice his body weight.
Chris’s fleece has been donated to the National Museum of Australia, where it is in a large display case. The relieved sheep was adopted to live comfortably in a shelter until his death in 2019.
Behrend said Baarack had adapted well to his new weight and settled with other sheep on the farm.