A ewe nicknamed “the loneliest sheep in Britain” has been rescued by a group of farmers from a cliff in the Scottish Highlands.
Cammy Wilson, one of the rescuers, reported that the operation took place on November 4. Wilson, a sheep shearer from Ayrshire, Scotland, and the host of the BBC’s Landward program, decided to rescue a sheep named Fiona after learning of her plight.
According to The Straits Times on November 5, the sheep was pulled up from the base of the cliff by five men using heavy equipment. Two men stood at the top of the cliff to control a rope ladder, while the other three were lowered 250 meters to reach the stranded ewe.
They found her in a cave.
The sheep, now known as Fiona, had been trapped at the base of the cliff in Cromarty Firth – Scotland for at least two years. (Photo: The Independent)
The Guardian cites the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) stating that the rescue efforts for Fiona were extremely complicated. “We had to rescue the sheep from a very steep cliff. She was quite overweight, making the task quite challenging,” Wilson said in a video posted on social media, where Fiona can be seen shortly after being brought up.
The SSPCA also responded to the rescue scene on November 4. Inspectors from the organization checked Fiona’s condition. “Fortunately, she is healthy, except for needing a shear. She will be taken to a specialist’s home in Scotland for rest and recovery,” a spokesperson for the organization stated.
The sheep was first spotted by Jillian Turner while kayaking along the coast of Sutherland in Scotland in 2021. On a recent trip, she was shocked to find that the sheep was still in the same spot, with her fleece grown excessively long.
Turner described: “The poor sheep has been living alone there for at least two years. For a social animal, that must be torture. She looked very desperate trying to reach us during the two times we passed by.”
Fiona and the farmers involved in her rescue. (Photo: The Sheep Game)
Many British newspapers have reported this story, dubbing Fiona as “the loneliest sheep in Britain.”
Animal lovers are thrilled with the news of Fiona’s rescue.
Edoardo L’Astorina, who started a petition to rescue the sheep on October 29, stated: “Today is a day to celebrate. We have rescued the life of a beautiful and lonely sheep.” His petition gathered over 55,000 signatures.
