In 2005 Shrek became a beloved celebrity in New Zealand after he spent six years evading capture and growing to a tremendous size. He was underweight and, due to all of the wool around his face, he could barely see.”īaarack is the latest in a long line of very large and woolly sheep to make international headlines. During this time the newly named Shrek had gown. A true role model when it comes to rage against the system.

Shrek showed all the other sheep what theyre capable of. But Shreks story will definitely change your opinion of how brave they actually are. “He had at one time been ear-tagged, however these appear to have been torn out by the thick, matted fleece around his face,” Behrend said. Discovered in a cave in Otago, New Zealand, the merino sheep had successfully evaded muster for six years. Sheep are always considered to be obedient, easy to convince and, you know, a bit naive. The hirsute ovine was found near Lancefield in Victoria, and rescuers said he had “eked out an existence” eating small shoots of grass. Merino sheep do not shed their fleece and need to be shorn at least annually, as their wool continues to grow. By that time, Shrek’s appearance had changed so much that he didn’t even look like a sheep any more. Finally, in 2004, his owners discovered him. Inside this cave, Shrek spent his life in silence for six long years. Kyle Behrend, from the Edgar’s Mission farm sanctuary, told Reuters that it appeared Baarack was “once an owned sheep” who had escaped. This clever sheep from New Zealand was hiding inside a cave while everyone was looking for him outside. The merino ram, dubbed Baarack by rescuers, was discovered wandering alone with an extraordinarily overgrown wool coat, and was promptly shorn to save his life. Shrek the Sheep was made famous in photographs, videos, and children’s books even though New Zealand has 10 times more sheep than p eople, Shrek stood out and captured the hearts of people with his delightful story. A rogue overgrown sheep found roaming through regional Australia has been shorn of his 35kg fleece – a weight even greater than that of the famous New Zealand sheep Shrek, who was captured in 2005 after six years on the loose. Shrek became a national icon in New Zealand and was invited to meet the prime minister, Helen Clark, in 2004.

Shrek the sheep