News Digest

Shorn the sheep: Aussie Chris fleeces Kiwis of world record

An Australian sheep that underwent a life-saving shave after being found with a massive fleece has entered the Guinness World Records for having the most wool sheared in a single sitting. The merino sheep, which was nicknamed Chris after it was found wandering alone just outside Australia’s capital Canberra in September, had 41.1kg (90.6lb) of wool taken off in one piece by a champion shearer. Guinness World Records said on its website that it had verified the record, which displaced the previous woolly champion Big Ben, an animal shorn of 28.9kg in New Zealand in 2014.

We certainly didn’t have the world record as priority when we sheared Chris, but we appreciate the recognition.

Tammy Ven Dange, the head of the RSPCA in the Australian Capital Territory

Chris’ plight made global headlines following Ven Dange’s tweet appealing for help from a shearer after the overgrown animal was spotted by bushwalkers. Ven Dange said that merino sheep were bred for their wool and they could face health issues, or even die, if not sheared regularly. The fleece has been donated to the National Museum in Canberra, while Chris was re-homed in a hobby farm in neighbouring New South Wales state.