Do sheep have their own ritual?
A large group of sheep seen on camera wandering in a circle for 12 days straight in China has completely perplexed and intrigued the Internet. But a scientist may finally have an explanation for this strange phenomenon.
(Photo : FRANCISCO RAMOS MEJIA/AFP via Getty Images)
View of a herd of sheep belonging to Argentine Inostroza cousins, on their way from Chenqueniyen to their Rio Chico wintering area in the east, during the yearly transhumance -which early snowfalls brought forward-, near Bariloche, Rio Negro province, Argentina, on May 6, 2022. - Each year, the Inostroza's travel 120 km carrying their animals - between 1400 sheep, 70 horses and 200 cows - on a two-day journey during which they sleep in a neighbouring estancia or camp halfway along the way.
The Sheep are Frustrated
A farm in China's Inner Mongolia province is seen in the unsettling video, which was posted on Twitter last week by the state-run People's Daily. Dozens of the creatures can be seen marching around and about on the farm.
Matt Bell, a professor in the Department of Agriculture at Hartpury University in Gloucester, England, told Newsweek that the sheep appear to be in the pen for long periods, and this may result in stereotypical behavior, including the repeated circling because the sheep are frustrated with being in the pen and having limited movement options.
"Then the other sheep join, as they are flock animals, and bond or join their friends," Bell added.
Flock Mentality
The Merck Veterinary Manual states that flock mentality is the dominant aspect of a sheep's social behavior. This governs the movement of the animals and shields them from predators, which compels them to leave danger as a group.
Since November 4, the sheep had been traveling in an almost perfect circle. It's unknown if they took breaks for food or drink or if they continued to move together.
According to Ms. Miao, the owner of the sheep farm, only a small number of the flock first participated in the circle before the rest of the herd joined in, as reported by Metro.
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Circling Disease
Some have hypothesized that the sheep's strange behavior may potentially be brought on by Listeriosis, a bacterial condition often known as "circling disease."
Polluted food, contaminated soil, or animal feces can all spread the sickness. There are several symptoms it might produce, such as depression, appetite loss, fever, and circling, as per the New York Post.
A common bacterium present in the intestines of normal sheep is listeria. It can also thrive and proliferate in the environment, especially in decaying plant waste, but it can also live for up to five years in soil, water, manure, feed, and even pasture.
It is unclear how the sheep in China were able to continue wandering in a circle for 12 days given that listeriosis often results in death in affected animals within 48 hours. Hence, the circling disease is mere speculation.
Related Article: Scientists Used Gene-Edited Sheep to Develop Drug for Lethal Brain Disorder in Children
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Written by Jace Dela Cruz
