Chris the sheep, world record holder and headline-maker, dies aged 10
CHRIS the sheep, a runaway merino that made international headlines when he was found wandering the outskirts of Canberra with a 41kg fleece, has died of old age.
Canberra Star
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CHRIS the sheep, a runaway merino that made international headlines when he was found wandering the outskirts of Canberra with a 40kg fleece, has died of old age.
Chris’s death was confirmed by the Little Oak Sanctuary, the animal sanctuary where he had lived since his lifesaving, headline-making haircut in 2015.
“We have heartbreaking news. Chris the sheep has passed away. We are heartbroken at the loss of this sweet, wise, friendly soul,” the sanctuary said on its Facebook page.
“Chris is known as the world record holder for having grown the heaviest fleece on record. He was so much more than this, so very much more, and we will remember him for all that he was.”
Chris’s death, aged about 10, was put down to old age, with most sheep living to around 12.
Chris was spotted by a member of the public and taken in by the RSPCA in 2015.
The charity recruited Australian Shearing Championship winner Ian Elkins to shear Chis’s fleece, which was so heavy it was life-threatening.
One of Chris’s carers at the RSPCA, Jane Gregor, also took to Facebook to mourn his death.
“I loved caring for this character when he was at RSPCA,” she said.