In China, the mystery of why sheep circle in place might have been answered.

When a video of a herd of sheep moving continually in a circle in Inner Mongolia, China, became popular, various ideas were put out by online users.

 

In the widely shared video, sheep can be seen meandering in a circle while other sheep watch in China’s state-run People’s Daily. The flock of sheep reportedly followed the same path for 12 days, says media accounts.

 

Even while it is well known that sheep have a propensity to copy other members of the flock, the same type of movement for so long, and that too in unison, seemed odd.

 

But it appears that the puzzle of the sheep’s peculiar behaviour has been solved. According to Newsweek, Matt Bell, a professor and the head of the department of agriculture at Hartpury University in Gloucester, England ‘The sheep appear to be kept in the pen for extended periods of time, which could result in stereotypical behaviour, such as the repeated circling caused by frustration at being in the pen and having a limited range of movement (as to where they can go). Not good at all. Then, since sheep are herd animals, the rest of the flock follows to join their buddies.’

 

People’s Daily reported that the sheep have been acting in this manner since November 4. It is still unknown, though, if they took a break to eat or drink.

 

The sheep owner, Miao, reportedly said that just a small number of her herd initially joined the circle before the rest of them did. Only one of the 34 enclosures where the sheep were at the time was in circular.

 

Some hypotheses suggest that a bacterial condition called listeriosis may be to blame for the strange movement. Animals with the condition have been known to ‘circle’ as one of their symptoms. However, according to the Newsweek article, the condition typically results in death within two days.