Britain’s ‘loneliest sheep’ stranded at foot of cliff for over two years
Britain’s “loneliest sheep” has been spotted on a beach at the foot of a cliff in the Scottish Highlands, where it has been marooned for more than two years.
Efforts are being made to stage a rescue attempt, and a drone will now be launched to check on the sheep’s welfare.
Jillian Turner first spotted the sheep two years ago during a paddling trip from Balintore to Nigg. Ms Turner, of Brora, in Sutherland, assumed the sheep would manage to make its way up the cliff. However, when her canoe club took the same journey again recently, she was horrified to see the sheep had remained in the same place.
“She called out on our approach and once again followed the group along the shore, jumping from rock to rock, calling to us the whole way,” she said.
“Her fleece on the first occasion was a normal year’s growth, however on the recent trip, the fleece was huge and touching the ground at the back.”
She added: “The poor ewe has been on her own for at least two years – for a flock animal that has to be torture, and she seemed desperate to make contact with us on the two occasions we’ve gone past her.
“It is heart-rending. We honestly thought she might make its way back up that first year.”
Ms Turner said she worried whether the sheep had survived the recent Storm Babet, adding the huge tides coming in could have been “traumatic for her, if not fatal”.
The sheep is not of the same breed as those belonging to farmers in the local area, and it is thought it could have been part of a flock that was temporarily grazing nearby.
“The landowner has made several attempts over the last couple of years to get to her but has had to abandon rescue attempts for various reasons, mainly due to the dangerous landscape,” said Ms Turner.
“The highlighting of this case has caused him quite some concern, fearing people randomly turning up trying to be the hero and getting injured.”
Since she saw the sheep again, Ms Turner has appealed to experts to facilitate rescue efforts, including the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team. However, the team said they could not take any action unless called out by emergency services, such as the police or fire brigade.
“I also contacted the SSPCA and the call handler was sympathetic, but an inspector got back to me and indicated that the sheep was known to them but was not in any danger.”
She said a semi-ridged inflatable would be needed, along with a farmer to go along with a dog to capture the sheep.
“She deserves to be rescued and given a good few years with other sheep,” she said. “So hopefully she will make it back to a flock soon.”
