Britain's 'Loneliest Sheep' Rescued From Bottom of Cliff After Spending 2 Years Alone
In Ayrshire, Scotland, one very lucky sleep is resting safe and sound inside a barn. Normally that wouldn't be news, but this particular sheep was recently rescued by five farmers and some heavy equipment after spending two years stranded at the bottom of a cliff. Her reign as 'Britain's Loneliest Sheep' has finally come to a close, and no one could be happier for her!
This three-year-old sheep, whose name is now Fiona, was first spotted at the bottom of the cliff by a kayaker in 2021. When another resident saw her last month, the poor ewe was desperate to escape. Fortunately, the landowner teamed up with some local farmers for a risky--but rewarding--rescue. The overgrown sheep had plenty of greenery to keep her sustained, so her large size and steep cliff turned the rescue into quite the stunt.
It's incredible that they were able to save the sheep and even more incredible that she's in nearly perfect shape after the two-year debacle. As sheep farmer/savior Cammy Wilson told Sky News, they needed to lend the helping hand of some "heavy equipment" in order to get the job done. But they did it!
Related: Connecticut Department of Agriculture Rescues Nearly 100 Sheep Following Citizen Report
The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was present at the time of the animal rescue, and they also gave her a clean bill of health. In fact, the massive amount of wool that was sheared from her will be used to raise money for the animal welfare organization! After Wilson sheared the sheep, her wool was sent to a specialty knitter who will produce keepsakes that will be sold or auctioned at a later date.
For now, everyone is celebrating the safe rescue of Fiona the sheep, who shares a very similar story to a famous ram named Shrek. This infamous sheep was rescued in New Zealand in 2004 (with over 27kg of extra wool) over six years after he escaped from the rest of his herd. No wonder the name 'Fiona' came to mind!
Both of these daring animal rescues caused quite a stir, and we're happy to report that they both have a happy ending, too. Now, Fiona the rescue sheep won't ever be alone again! This sheep will be cared for and included like the social animal she is.
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