Asia-Pacific News

Lucky, the world's oldest sheep, dead at 23

Nov 24, 2009, 4:52 GMT

   Sydney - Lucky, a ewe who got into the Guinness Book of World Records two years ago for being the world's oldest sheep, has died at the Australian farm where she was born 23 years ago, news reports said Tuesday.

   Delrae Westgarth, who adopted Lucky after she had been abandoned by her mother, said the hardy sheep had become part of the family and was not alone when she died Monday.

   'We brought her into the shed where she was reared and put air conditioners on her, which kept her going a bit longer, but unfortunately she didn't make the 23 years and 7 months,' Westgarth told public broadcaster ABC from her farm near Ballarat, Victoria.

   'She used to come and howl at the back gate, torment the dogs, and that sort of thing,' Westgarth recalled.

   Lucky, who lived to 180 in sheep years, was buried under her favourite nectarine tree and will have a tombstone cut from black slate.

   The postcards of Lucky for sale in the Lake Bolac tourist information centre are expected to become collector's items.

   Lucky took the longevity title from George, another merino, who died in Warren, in New South Wales, three years ago at the age of 21.

   George's last birthday had been a big affair, attended by most Warren residents and by Peter Black, the local member of parliament.