

These Facts About Sheep Should Make You Hate the Wool Industry, TooĪlthough Australia is the largest exporter of wool in the world, PETA and our international affiliates have published 13 exposés of 116 wool operations on four continents. This shared companionship may even reduce and relieve sheep’s stress, and it’s one more reason for speciesist humans to stop exploiting them. They prefer to be with other sheep who have endured the same intense situations, using facial and scent recognition to find and stand close to each other. For sheep, these include being sheared, driven in a trailer, or rounded up by a dog. Sheep Bond Over Stressful ExperiencesĪ recent study revealed that sheep, like humans, bond over stressful experiences. In 2012, 19,407 sheep died during live-export journeys, and in 2018, around 2,400 died on filthy ships, many of heatstroke.ġ2. According to the Australian government, it’s acceptable for around 2% of sheep to die in transit. They’re forced to endure weeks in cramped, unsanitary quarters aboard ships. Every year, millions of sheep are exported from Australia to the Middle East and North Africa. Why? Because once they’re no longer producing enough wool to be profitable, they’re killed. And the remaining sheep are always slaughtered. Sheep on farms can die from infected wounds, flystrike, and other conditions. Sheep Die for Wool-and Some Die on Their Way to Slaughter Their unnaturally thick coats in the summer can also cause many to die of heat exhaustion.ġ1. When farmers shear sheep prematurely, they frequently cause them to freeze to death. Their Wool Doesn’t Naturally Need Shearingīecause of today’s breeding and farming, sheep grow much more wool than they would naturally-which would be just enough to protect them from the weather. And although they have powerful memories, they’ve been shown to be optimistic even after stressful or scary situations.ġ0. The grass is always greener on the other side! Sheep have swum across lakes and rivers to seek out greener pastures. Sheep Can Be Optimistic Even When Things Look Bleak They spend their time challenging each other for higher social ranks-it’s the ultimate fight club. Meanwhile, as noted above, male sheep live in bachelor flocks. Lambs recognize their mothers after only one day, and they can identify each other by their individual bleats. In nature, female sheep live with their young in nursery flocks with five to 100 total members. Mama Sheep Are Great at Running Nurseries Sheep even teach their young this ability, so you could say that being a “pharmacist” runs in the family.Ĩ. They can tell if they’re deficient in a nutrient by “smelling” with their eyes and feet, and they’re able to find plants that can treat specific ailments or prevent disease. When sheep in their natural habitat of hilly plains are sick, they seek out plants to make themselves feel better. Being a Natural ‘Pharmacist’ Runs in the Family They can also detect anxiety in another sheep by looking at their face.ħ. It’s been proved that they respond to their environment with a variety of emotional responses because of the way their brains are organized. Not only can sheep express emotions such as happiness, boredom, and sadness, they also feel complex combinations of emotions. Male sheep sometimes join flocks with other males. Female sheep (aka “ewes”) usually stay in their maternal groups for life. This advantage allows them to see predators sneaking up on them.ĭid you know that 8% of domestic rams prefer other male partners? They’re one of a few known species that have lifelong same-sex preferences. They also have excellent eyesight, with a 270- to 320-degree field of vision. Sheep aren’t afraid to stand up for their friends or young in dangerous situations. They can remember about 50 faces for more than two years! They also leap into the air with excitement when they see their friends and family. That’s why sheep like to stick with their flock. Studies have shown that sheep’s heart rates increase when they can’t find their family or are approached by strangers. Isolation can cause depression in many animals, including sheep. These picky eaters use a groove in their upper lip called a philtrum to help them pick out their favorite plants.

Only the best vegetation is good enough for sheep. They’re Picky Eaters Who Only Eat Their Vegetables Posted by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) on Friday, 2. This is the therapeutic content we all need right now 💘 Watching This Goat Cuddle His Favorite Toy Is the Cutest
