The absurdly fluffy sheep who got a nation talking is completely unrecognisable this afternoon after losing a record-breaking 40kg of fleece in an epic shearing session.
At a media appearance on Thursday, the Canberra sheep - which was blinded by excess wool covering its eyes - appeared trim and comfortable in a green blanket.
An RSPCA spokeswoman told vets said the sheep, known as Chris, appeared to be doing relatively well but will remain under observation for some time.
The animal welfare agency is hoping he will find a new home soon, suggesting a local farmer may open his paddock for the sheep. Not much is known about how exactly the sheep managed to balloon to its incredible size.
'It looks like he was separated from his herd at some point and has been wandering around by himself for a couple of years,' the spokeswoman said.
A local walking group spotted Chris several times recently but he continued to evade authorities until a sighting approximately a week ago.
It took days for the RSPCA to muster the manpower required to capture him.
The sheep's fleece, shorn off by four-time national shearing champion Ian Elkins, officially weighed in at 40.45kgs, easily topping the previous record holder.
The overcoat clipped off Shrek, a renegade New Zealand sheep who was on the run from authorities for six years, weighed in at around 27kgs.
It took around an hour and two separate passes with the clippers for Mr Elkins to remove approximately 12 inches of wool from Chris.
A fleece of this humongous size causes health problems, said RSPCA ACT chief executive Tammy Ven Dange.
'It can actually make it impossible for them to go to the bathroom. We don't know how bad the damage could be because this has been building for awhile.
The layers upon layers of matted wool also mask any signs of infection it may be experiencing.
It's not the first time Australia has witnessed a sheep balloon to its current size.
The RSPCA has said there has been a number of cases where sheep have lost their flock and lived in the wild.
'If it (growing fleece like this) was done deliberately, it would be a cruelty case, but in many cases it's not, sometimes it's just a lost sheep,' Ms. Ven Dange said.
In September 2014, a sheep named Shaun was discovered living in the Tasmanian bush after going missing for at least six years, according to the ABC.
Shaun's fleece weighed just under at 23.5kg and pictures at the time showed bruises and bleeding along the leg.
The RSPCA does not know how long this week's sheep has been isolated and did fear it could potentially die from the shock of being handled by humans.
Locals have banded together to name the sheep in a contest held by local radio station 2CC.
At a media appearance on Thursday, the Canberra sheep - which was blinded by excess wool covering its eyes - appeared trim and comfortable in a green blanket.
An RSPCA spokeswoman told vets said the sheep, known as Chris, appeared to be doing relatively well but will remain under observation for some time.
The animal welfare agency is hoping he will find a new home soon, suggesting a local farmer may open his paddock for the sheep. Not much is known about how exactly the sheep managed to balloon to its incredible size.
'It looks like he was separated from his herd at some point and has been wandering around by himself for a couple of years,' the spokeswoman said.
A local walking group spotted Chris several times recently but he continued to evade authorities until a sighting approximately a week ago.
It took days for the RSPCA to muster the manpower required to capture him.
The sheep's fleece, shorn off by four-time national shearing champion Ian Elkins, officially weighed in at 40.45kgs, easily topping the previous record holder.
The overcoat clipped off Shrek, a renegade New Zealand sheep who was on the run from authorities for six years, weighed in at around 27kgs.
It took around an hour and two separate passes with the clippers for Mr Elkins to remove approximately 12 inches of wool from Chris.
A fleece of this humongous size causes health problems, said RSPCA ACT chief executive Tammy Ven Dange.
'It can actually make it impossible for them to go to the bathroom. We don't know how bad the damage could be because this has been building for awhile.
The layers upon layers of matted wool also mask any signs of infection it may be experiencing.
It's not the first time Australia has witnessed a sheep balloon to its current size.
The RSPCA has said there has been a number of cases where sheep have lost their flock and lived in the wild.
'If it (growing fleece like this) was done deliberately, it would be a cruelty case, but in many cases it's not, sometimes it's just a lost sheep,' Ms. Ven Dange said.
In September 2014, a sheep named Shaun was discovered living in the Tasmanian bush after going missing for at least six years, according to the ABC.
Shaun's fleece weighed just under at 23.5kg and pictures at the time showed bruises and bleeding along the leg.
The RSPCA does not know how long this week's sheep has been isolated and did fear it could potentially die from the shock of being handled by humans.
Locals have banded together to name the sheep in a contest held by local radio station 2CC.
Music : Guts and Bourbon by Kevin MacLeod
Source : DailyMail , Mirror
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