The New Zealand-born Sheep who took the World by Storm
On November 27th of 1994 a baby lamb was born at the Bendigo Sheep Station in Tarras, New Zealand. Eventually the little Merino lamb would grow up and embark on quite an adventure. For those that don’t keep up on different breeds of sheep, a Merino is a breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep. They are known for their very fine, soft wool. Merino sheep were a strict Spanish monopoly for centuries before making their way to New Zealand.
Making a Break for it
In 1998, Shrek decided that he’d had enough of the sheep shearing life and left the Bendigo Sheep Station for greener pastures. He’d stop by once in a while but never stay for long. His owners attempted to apprehend him, but he was too elusive… even though his wool coat was growing heavier with every passing day.
Finally, after six years on the lam(b), he was caught. Owners of the sheep station were shocked to see that Shrek had nearly tripled in size. All that could be seen inside the big ball of wool was his nose.
The Media Hears of Shrek
Shrek had hid inside of caves for years and now that he’d arrived back home, reporters gathered to catch a glimpse of him. Merino sheep are typically shorn annually and on average lose a fleece of around 10 pounds. If they could get a shaver close enough to Shrek it was likely that his fleece would be much heavier.
On April 28th of 2004 Shrek’s shearing session was broadcast on national television in New Zealand. A professional was brought in to handle the shearing which he was able to complete in an astounding 20 minutes.
Sixty Pounds!!
When all was said and done, a sixty-pound fleece lay on the floor around Shrek. The fleece contained enough wool to make 20 men’s suits. It was six times the average Merino fleece and almost double the amount that sheep shearers consider ‘exceptional’.
Shrek quickly became a national icon. His owners brought him to parliament the following month to meet the Prime Minister of New Zealand at the time, Helen Clark. A grand celebration was held in honor of his 10th birthday.
Letting it Grow Again
The next time that Shrek participated in a shearing was 30 months later in November 2006. Once again it was a media spectacle and this time the owners placed him on a floating iceberg just off the coast of Dunedin, New Zealand.
All Good Things…
On June 6th of 2011, after receiving advice from a local veterinarian, Shrek was euthanized. He was 16-years-old. According to Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries, “The average lifespan of a sheep is 10-12 years, although the age at which they cease to be ‘commercially productive’ is around 5 years earlier, hence most domestic sheep are killed at around half of their potential lifespan.”
Shrek proved to be ‘commercially productive’ for the entirety of his lifespan. A male sheep who refused to be shorn. A sheep who happily carried the weight of the world on his shoulders for nearly half his life. Shrek was a sheep that didn’t follow the flock and instead showed the nation of New Zealand that it’s okay to be different.
Shrek’s Timeline
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