During a year of constant apocalyptic updates (earthquakes, floods, sonic booms, and of course the coronavirus) it is only natural to gravitate towards feel-good stories that bring hope and happiness. One such piece of news doing the rounds is that of Shrek the sheep who wasn’t sheared for 6 years, grew a LOT of wool, and allegedly escaped hungry wolves because their teeth couldn’t penetrate it.
This sheep escaped a farm and spent 6 years in the mountains, during which time he grew 60 pounds of wool. Wolves tried to eat him, but their teeth could not penetrate the floof. You don't have to turn hard to survive the wolves, just be really, really soft and fluffy. pic.twitter.com/a7RnYMCxxY
— DrebarLori (@FiqhTabayyun) March 15, 2020
As great as it sounds, unfortunately, it isn’t true. New Zealand journalist Luke Appleby and several others have debunked the story saying that there are no predator wolves in the country.
According to India Today, Shrek (aka the world’s woolliest sheep) was part of a flock of sheep at Bendigo Station and escaped the annual shearing by fleeing to a cave. It was sheared after 6 years and the 27 kg of fleece was auctioned off for children’s medical charities.
That's Shrek the sheep, with Bendigo Station owner John Perriam from New Zealand.
We don't have wolves here.
— Luke Appleby (@lukeappleby) March 15, 2020
There are no wolves in New Zealand, so your story is cute but fake.
— Gillian Craigie (@GillCraigie) March 16, 2020
Fake news – that is a well known sheep who happens to live where there are in fact NO wolves. Cool story though 😐😬
— ToonTom ↩ (@surteez) March 16, 2020
1) New Zealand has no wolves
2) he wasn't in good shape because he had too much wool
3) wolves kill musk ox which are just as wooly/hairy no problem. Wool wouldn't protect him pic.twitter.com/hLYKFWWTbQ
— MrNeffels🏆 (@MrNeffels) April 26, 2020
No wolves (or any predators for that matter) in New Zealand but I like the analogy
— rinchansan 🌸 WEAR YOUR MASK (@_rinchansan) March 16, 2020
This was back in 2004. In 2011, the sheep was euthanized after being ill for a prolonged period of time. Shrek is still remembered in children’s books but there is no great lesson of bravery from his life as some reports would have us believe.
Claim: Sheep survives wolf attack thanks to its wooliness
Fact Check: Claim is FALSE.