Sheep are followers, often walking one after another within their flock and following a shepherd.Sheep do not like isolation. When a sheep is separated from the flock, it shows signs of depression such as hanging its head down.
The term “sheep” or “like sheep” can be used to refer to a person or a group of people that blindly follow a leader or trend. This idiom is meant to be a criticism of followers who do not think rationally or of their own accord. Rather, they follow because they are told to do so or because others are following too. But what do sheep have to do with this phrase? Sheep have been known to follow one another blindly, lacking the ability to act independently. In this video, sheep are shown walking after one another in a circular pattern. They walk in this manner nonstop for 12 days. At some points, several sheep stop, but they eventually rejoin the motion. In other instances, a couple of sheep stand in the center of the circle.
Reasons Behind Sheep Circling Patterns
Some internet users and experts have proposed reasons why the sheep engaged in their circular ritual. Circling disease, also known as listeriosis, occurs when one side of the sheep’s brain becomes infected by soil bacteria. Due to this imbalance, the sheep could lean toward the infected side and walk in a circle. However, it is unlikely that all the sheep depicted in the video were suffering from listeriosis. Typically, listeriosis only affects a few sheep at one time, and the sheep are prone to moving in their own personal circles. It is unlikely that they would follow the flock when experiencing this disease. Another possible explanation for this behavior is that the sheep were frustrated with their living situation. The sheep may have disliked being held in a small pen for an extended period. As a result, the sheep could have started their circle ritual as a form of protest and restlessness. This behavior is called zoochosis, and it is seen frequently with zoo animals and large cats, such as lions and tigers, that are being held captive. Zoochosis causes an animal or group of animals to act in a bizarre manner without reason. In effect, other animals might join in on the behavior exhibited by those experiencing zoochosis. Therefore, zoochosis becomes its own psychological disease that can pass from one animal to the next.
Fun Facts About Sheep
While leader-follower behavior is popular within a flock of sheep, other behaviors are unique to this species. Below list some fascinating sheep behaviors that everyone should know about:
Sheep have impeccable memory. They can recognize faces of other sheep and humans for up to two years.Sheep are also emotionally intelligent, as they can differentiate between a face that appears happy versus one that emits anger or sadness.Sheep have an ability to communicate with others in their flock through several types of noises. These sounds communicate a sheep’s emotions.If a sheep becomes sick, it can heal itself by consuming specific plants that act as remedies for its illness.
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Sheep experience emotions and can communicate these feelings to others within the flock. Why do sheep follow each other? Sheep are dependent animals and prefer to be in a flock rather than being isolated. What animals experience zoochosis? Animals in captivity, specifically large cats like lions or tigers, can experience zoochosis.
