Sheep are hardy, resilient animals. Depending on the breed, they thrive in the driest of desserts and snowiest of planes. But being highly social animals, one thing they cannot tolerate is isolation. Unfortunately, isolation was a long reality for poor Fiona, a sheep who spent more than two years in solitude at the bottom of a cliff in Scotland.
Dubbed Britain’s, then the world’s “loneliest sheep,” Fiona had become something of a local legend—first spotted by a kayaker in 2021, and then again two years later, not malnourished and in good condition, but with badly overgrown fleece and in need of a good shearing.How exactly Fiona became stuck at the bottom of a cliff was a mystery. But hauling her out was an even more confounding problem.
Despite over 50,000 people signing a petition to rescue Fiona, the Scottish SPCA called the safety logistics “incredibly complex” due to the terrain being so inaccessible, not to mention any human interaction likely causing extreme stress for the stranded rescuee.
That’s when a group of five farmers—including sheep farmer and BBC presenter Cammy Wilson, and YouTube star Graeme Parker— took things into their own hands.
With a whole lotta rope and a whole lotta patience, the team successfully found Fiona in a cave (a little overweight, perhaps eating her lonely feelings a bit) and hoisted her up the steep cliff to safety.
Watch the harrowing resc-ewe mission below. Gotta say, the drone footage makes it look even more epic.
Fiona was then taken to Dalscone Farm Fun in Dumfries, Scotland—a new forever home, where her new owner, Ben Best, dubbed her healthy and relaxed, even if she “could lose a few pounds.”
Though animal rights activists did show concern with Fiona’s new living situation, likening it closer to a “petting zoo” than the sanctuary she deserved, Best affirmed that was not the case, saying, “It’s effectively a farm where people can go and visit the animals, but they don’t go in amongst the animals.”
He also added that she would be kept away from the public eye for five-to-six months, and not step into the limelight until she’s ready for it.
In 2024, Best gave the world a much-needed update on Fiona’s wellbeing when he appeared on the Fed by Farmers Podcast. Spoiler alert: she’s doing great. Watch her progress below:
– YouTube
This article originally appeared two years ago.
