Shrek the Sheep and the Extraordinary Fleece Found in 2004

First published November 6, 2018.

This is Shrek, an appropriately-named renegade sheep that managed to escape and avoid shearing for six whole years.

The story humorously casts Shrek as avoiding a haircut; his motive cannot be established. So, this New Zealand libertarian managed to avoid spring shearings by hiding in a cave.

By the time he was discovered in 2004, his owners could not even tell he was a sheep.

According to a farmer, when Shrek was finally sheared, there was enough wool to produce twenty men's suits.

So if a sheep doesn't get sheared, will the wool keep growing?

This depends on the sheep's breed and coat: some retain growing wool, while other domesticated sheep shed. Shrek's case should not be generalised to every domesticated sheep.

Primitive sheep, such as Bighorns in the West, still shed most of their wool each year.

Perhaps Shrek realized he needed help (mobility issues, vision impairment, heat stress) and wanted to be found. We might never know, but he certainly has a great smile!

Images: Modern Farmer

A memorable character, with an imagined motive

The story gives Shrek the personality of a determined escape artist, but a dislike of haircuts is a comic interpretation rather than something his behaviour can establish. The visible fleece and the circumstances of his discovery are the relevant observations. The event occurred in 2004; the article's later publication does not make it a recent rescue.

Domestic animals are not all alike

The broader claim that every domesticated sheep's wool grows indefinitely is too sweeping: coat and shedding characteristics vary. Shrek's particular fleece should not become a rule for all sheep. His story is a useful opening for learning why an animal's breed, condition and environment matter when considering its care. The dramatic image becomes more informative when it leads to those distinctions rather than only an amusing comparison with a haircut.

Shrek’s later life

Shrek became a celebrity in New Zealand after his discovery and was euthanised at Bendigo Station in Central Otago on 6 June 2011, at about 16 years old.

Sources: RNZ, 7 June 2011