It’s often said that anyone can be anything they want – and it seems this extends to the animal kingdom as well.
In Fayetteville, Arkansas, a heartwarming and somewhat humorous story unfolded when a local woman, Leslie Sherrill, noticed something unusual about a group of deer crossing the road.
Among the graceful deer, there was an imposter.
Leslie, initially puzzled by this sight, told 5NEWS,
“That day, I saw the doe run across, and then I just couldn’t figure out what it was. I didn’t know if it was a sheep, I didn’t know if it was a goat, I didn’t know if it was an African safari animal, so most of the time, I was just trying to figure out what I was looking at.”
The creature hilariously turned out to be a sheep.
This sheep, daring to defy the norms of its species, had found companionship and acceptance among a herd of deer.
The deer, known for their elegance and agility, were galloping along North Rupple Road, with the sheep awkwardly yet determinedly trying to keep pace.
Leslie humorously observed the contrast, “The deer frolic so pretty, but then the sheep was like… it just was funny because it shook and couldn’t run as fast.”
What was even more touching about this scene was the deer’s behavior towards their woolly companion.
They seemed to understand the limitations of their new friend and adjusted their path accordingly.
Leslie wrote in a community Facebook post,
“It was really fascinating because the lead deer was making sure to go places the sheep was able to go. I would love to know the story on how this sheep became a deer.”
The story of the sheep became a topic of interest in the local community after Leslie posted her footage on social media.
It turned out that the sheep was a bit of a local celebrity, having escaped from a nearby farm about a year earlier.
Since then, it had been living in the wild, and only recently had it found a new family among the deer.
The sheep’s presence sparked various theories and discussions among the Fayetteville residents.
Some mistook it for a goat, while others recognized it as a sheep, with one person even naming it Isaac.
A man speculated that it could be an American Black Belly or Barbados Black Belly sheep, known for their size and distinctive appearance.
The community’s fascination with this sheep was evident.
One resident shared their experience, saying,
“We drove up on them about a month ago and have been debating what type of animal it is for weeks.”
The sheep, with its partial shearing, added to the mystery and intrigue of its identity.
The deer family has clearly adopted their four-legged friend.
Leslie pondered the practical challenges the sheep might face in its daily life with the deer, especially considering their different abilities to navigate physical barriers like fences.
She told 5NEWS:
“I’m gonna assume they have to be very patient with the sheep.”
Watch both of the videos below to see footage of this comical (yet adorable) family!
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