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5 Times Farm Animals Went Adventuring


Shrek the Sheep

Shrek the Sheep

A sheep in New Zealand took an extended vacation to avoid having his lovely coat removed.

Shrek, a Merino sheep named after the animated ogre, escaped his farm in Tarras in 1998. He hid in caves for six years until his capture in April 2004.

Merino sheep are usually shorn annually and their fleeces typically weigh between 10 and 33 pounds (4.5 and 15 kg). After six years, however, Shrek’s fleece weighed 60 lbs. (27 kg) and contained enough wool to make about 20 large men’s suits.

His 20-minute shearing on April 28 was broadcast on national TV. Shrek became a national icon and met Prime Minister Helen Clark. Shrek passed away in 2011 at the age of 16.

 


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