Sheep 101 - Follow the Leader

Wait For Me Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the leader. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good decision. For example, if the lead sheep jumps over a cliff, the others are likely to follow. Even from birth, lambs are conditioned to follow the older members of the flock.	Crossbred Katahdin Lambs
Icelandic Leadersheep Photo courtesy of Lavender Fleece	Leadersheep There is a certain strain of sheep in Iceland known as leadersheep. Leadersheep are highly intelligent animals that have the ability and instinct to lead a flock home during difficult conditions. They have an exceptional ability to sense danger. There are many stories in Iceland of leadersheep saving many lives during the fall roundups when blizzards threatened shepherds and flocks alike. Click HERE to learn more about leadersheep.
Safety in Numbers Sheep are gregarious. They will stay together in a group when grazing. A sheep will become agitated if it is separated from the group. It is banding togther in large groups that protects sheep from predators because predators will go after the outliers in the flock.	Montana Range Flock
Sheep are social Sheep are a very social animal. Animal behaviorists have pointed out that sheep require the presence of at least 4 or 5 sheep which, when grazing maintain a visual link to each other.	Katahdin Sheep
Merino Flock	Flocking Together Flocking instinct is strongest in the fine-wool breeds, but exists in all sheep breeds to some extent. It is the sheep's flocking instinct that allows sheep herders to look after large numbers of sheep and lambs.
Click HERE to learn about other sheep behaviors.
. . . New Words . . . Instinct -behaviours which do not need to be learned. They help an animal survive. Gregarious - tending to form a group with others of the same kind. Social - tending to move or live together in groups or colonies of the same kind.

Why do sheep follow each other?

Follow the Leader