The question regarding the suspenseful video of a vast herd of sheep marching in a circle for 12 continuous days in China, according to a scientist, has been answered. People all across the world were puzzled by the video, which was released on Twitter earlier this month. A farm in Inner Mongolia is depicted in the video, which was published by the Chinese state-run People's Daily, with dozens of sheep travelling almost perfectly in a circular round. The majority of animals are observed exhibiting the same activity.
Although some can be observed staring from outside, other sheep are often seen remaining still in the centre of the cycle.
Matt Bell, a professor, and director of the Department of Agriculture at Hartpury University in Gloucester, England, explained this strange behaviour to Newsweek as follows: "It looks like the sheep are in the pen for long periods, and this might lead to stereotypic behaviour, with the repeated circling due to frustration about being in the pen and limited [as to where they can go]. This is not good. Then the other sheep join as they are flock animals and bond or join their friends."
Flock mentality is demonstrated by sheep, who travel with the herd while defending their species from predators.
Based on a story in People's Daily, however, sheep in China have been circling since November 4, and there is no evidence available to figure out if they have stopped moving or have only paused to consume food or drink.
The farm's owner, described as Ms Miao by UK-based Metro, informed regional news sites that initially just a small number of sheep displayed the pattern, but with time the entire flock began to orbit.
Ms Miao's sheep are kept in 34 fences, but she claims that only one flock of sheep in one pen has been behaving abnormally.
Some have argued that Listeriosis, often known as "circling disease," is a bacterial illness that may be to blame for the sheep's behaviour.
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