Marooned for two years at the foot of a Scottish Highlands cliff, the sorry-looking, bedraggled animal is now known as Britain’s loneliest sheep.
Jillian Turner first spotted the sheep two years ago while she was paddling along the coast of Sutherland with her kayak club. It was on a shingle beach at the foot of a steep cliff. She assumed the sheep would make it back to wherever home was by itself and thought no more of it.
When she took the same journey again recently she was horrified to see the same animal.
Recalling her first sighting of the sheep, Turner told the Northern Times: “About half a mile before turning into the Cromarty Firth we spotted a sheep on a shingle beach at the bottom of some steep, rocky coastline.
“She saw us coming and was calling to us along the length of the beach following our progress until she could go no further. She finally turned back, looking defeated.”
The sighting made an impression on Turner and she couldn’t quite believe it when she saw the same sheep on the recent trip.
“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,” Turner said.
The sheep’s fleece was “huge” and touching the ground at the back, she said.
“It is heartrending. We honestly thought she might make her way back up that first year. 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.”
Turner has tried various agencies but so far drawn a blank on what can be done to help the sheep.
“I contacted the Cairngorm mountain rescue team who were very sympathetic but can’t take any action unless given a shout from an emergency service such as the police or fire brigade,” she said.
“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.”
Turner said she also walked along the top of the cliffs to see the bay for herself. “It is really steep with difficult access due to gorse, bracken and fencing,” she said.
The terrible storm in Scotland a week ago has made Turner worry even more for the plight of the sheep.
“I worry about whether she survived,” she said. “With huge seas coming in and a deluge of water pouring down the gullies, it must have been traumatic for her if not fatal.”
The Scottish SPCA chief superintendent, Mike Flynn, said: “The Scottish SPCA is aware of the sheep that is stranded at the bottom of a cliff in Brora. The sheep has ample grazing in the area but we have not been able to ascertain who the sheep belongs to. We will continue to have further checks when the weather allows and it is safe to do so.”
