Shrek
New Zealand's most famous sheep was put down this
morning.
Shrek the merino wether, a castrated male sheep, gained
international fame in April 2004 after he was found in an
Otago cave.
He had evaded muster for six years and carried 27kg worth of
fleece, TVNZ reported tonight. An average merino fleece
weighs about 4.5kg.
He became the subject of a book and was taken to Parliament
to meet then-prime minster Helen Clark.
Shortly after his capture Shrek was sheared on live TV, and
two and a half years later shorn again on an iceberg floating
off the coast of Dunedin.
The wool raised money for the charity Cure Kids and the
pictures were worth an estimated $100 million in worldwide
publicity for the export industry.
Shrek was euthanased on veterinary advice at Bendigo Station
this morning.
He would have turned 17 this year.
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.