The most famous sheep in New Zealand, a shaggy Merino male by the name of Shrek, died yesterday, leading to a flood of tributes.
Shrek rose to fame in 2004 when he was discovered to have escaped the annual shearing on his farm for the previous seven years. He had escaped his owners by hiding in caves and surviving on shrubs - the only one of 17,000 sheep on the farm able to do so.
When found, Shrek had put on about 27kg of fine wool – five times more than the average specimen. He was shorn in a live TV broadcast on CNN and BBC.
The story of the stubborn sheep travelled around the world, elevating Shrek to the status of national celebrity in New Zealand.
He met prime minister Helen Clarke in 2004 and was sheared on top of an iceberg off the New Zealand coast on his 10th birthday. He was the subject of books, news reports, and was reported to make up to $16,000 for public appearances. "He was quite an elderly statesman," said his owner John Perriam said. "He taught us a lot."
Josie Spillane, fundraising manager for children's charity Cure Kids, told the Southland Times that the sheep had raised a huge amount for medical research. "At the end of the day, it is the death of an iconic Kiwi. He just happens to be a sheep," she said.
Following a three-week illness, Shrek was euthanised yesterday at the age of 17 on the advice of a vet. Mr Perriam said that as well as laying claim to being New Zealand's woolliest sheep, Shrek may also have been its oldest. Most sheep live for no more than six years before being slaughtered.
Tributes have been pouring in on social network sites. A Facebook group called “RIP Shrek the Sheep” has acquired over 2,000 fans.
A funeral service is planned, and Shrek's ashes will be scattered from the top of Mount Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain.
Additional reporting: AP