“World’s oldest” sheep falls to her death 1/3/12
The “oldest sheep” in the world has died after falling off cliffs on Lewis.
North Tolsta crofter John A Maciver was heartbroken to find his favourite ewe dead
at the bottom of rocks. He had called the special ewe Methuselina -
Mr Maciver, an island councillor, only discovered she was a contender of the longest living of her species two years ago. He had checked her faded broken orange ear tag while sending her to market and was surprised to find it gave her birth date as 1986.
The animal was rejected at the livestock sale for being too scrawny so she returned to roam the heather clad North Tolsta moors.
The semi-
Her long life is put down to becoming acclimatise to the exposed location and evading capture when being gathered to go to the ram meaning she did not rear a lamb every year.
Normally sheep do not survive past 12 years because their broken teeth stops them cropping grass or the tougher heather but Methuselah boasts a full set so she can graze right down to the stubble.
Since she was transferred to his home croft in North Tolsta three years ago the sheep reared young every Spring including a set of twin lambs until three years ago.