• Sheep have very good memories. They can remember at least 50 individual sheep and humans for years. They do this by using a similar neural process and part of the brain that humans use to remember.
• Sheep have been shown to display emotions, some of which can be studied by observing the position of their ears.
• Contrary to popular misconception, sheep are extremely intelligent animals capable of problem solving. They are considered to have a similar IQ level to cattle and are nearly as clever as pigs.
• Like various other species including humans, sheep make different vocalization to communicate different emotions. They also display and recognize emotion by facial expressions.
• Sheep are known to self-medicate when they have some illnesses. They will eat specific plants when ill that can cure them.
• Sheep are precocial (highly independent from birth) and gregarious (like to be in a group).
• Female sheep (ewes) are very caring mothers and form deep bonds with their lambs that can recognize them by their call (bleat) when they wander too far away.
• Wild sheep tend to be larger than domesticated species, the largest (Argali) being 1.2m tall. They also have longer horns which they use to defend themselves from predators.
• Egyptians believed that sheep were sacred. They even had them mummified when they died, just like humans.
• The ancient Sumerians (4000 – 2000 BC), who are thought to have developed the first form of writing (Cuneiform script), immortalized sheep in the form of gods in their religion.
• Sheep are one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. Sheep are seen to represent righteousness, sincerity, gentleness, and compassion.
• The meat of sheep is widely eaten by people across the world. Sheep milk is also drunk and used to make other products such as cheese
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