Fiona the Sheep is a ewe sheep that came to public attention in 2021 when she was spotted alone at the base of a cliff on the shore of the

Moray Firth The Moray Firth (; , or ) is a roughly triangular inlet (or firth) of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of the north of Scotland. It is the largest firth in Scotland, stretching from Duncans ...

in Scotland. Als Couzens Designs Fiona The Sheep Sheared

In 2021, Jill Turner was kayaking between Balintore and Nigg and about to enter the

Cromarty Firth The Cromarty Firth (; ; literally "kyles

traits Trait may refer to: * Phenotypic trait in biology, which involve genes and characteristics of organisms * Genotypic trait, sometimes but not always presenting as a phenotypic trait * Personality, traits that predict an individual's behavior. ** ...

of Cromarty") is an arm of the Moray Firth in Scotland. Geography The entrance to the Cromarty Firth is guarded by two precipitous headlands; the one on the north high and the one on the ...

from the

when she spotted the sheep. She subsequently saw the sheep in 2023 at the same location, with a much overgrown fleece. Turner said that the sheep bleated to her and her fellow kayakers. She contacted several organisations with the aim of helping the sheep up the steep cliffs of the firth. The sheep became national news in October 2023. The chief superintendent of the

Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (also known as the Scottish SPCA and SSPCA) is a charity to promote animal welfare in Scotland. History and operations It was founded in Edinburgh in 1839 and one of its first aims ...

(Scottish SPCA), Mike Flynn, said that it was aware of the sheep and that it had "ample grazing" despite its being stuck on the bottom of the cliffs. It was not known to whom the sheep belonged. A petition for her rescue garnered in excess of 52,000 signatures. In 2021 it was believed that the sheep would find its way to the fields above the cliffs. On 3 November the sheep, now called Fiona, was rescued from the bottom of the cliffs by local farmers Als Couzens,

Graeme Parker Graeme Milroy Glen Parker (born 1982) is a Scottish cattle hoof trimmer, author, and YouTuber. His YouTube channel, The Hoof GP, was created in 2019 and primarily consists of videos of hoof trimming. It is the largest agricultural YouTube chan ...

, James Parker, and Ally Williamson, led by the Ayrshire sheep shearer and BBC television presenter Cammy Wilson. A winch at the top of the cliffs was operated by two of the farmers, while three others descended 250 metres (820 feet) down the cliff. Fiona was found in a cave. She was then inspected by an inspector from the Scottish SPA and described as being in good condition, though needing shearing. Wilson said that Fiona was in an "incredible condition... She is about a condition score of about 4.5, she is overfat - it was some job lifting her up that slope". He said that "The only difference between us being heroes and idiots is a slip of the foot". He said that he would do it again but "maybe not tomorrow though because I'm knackered". Wilson said that he was motivated to rescue Fiona after reading disparaging comments online about the farmer that owned her. The farmer had previously tried to retrieve her from the shoreline at the base of the cliffs but was unable to do so without risking his and his employees' safety. When rescued, Fiona weighed without her wool which weighed and was of poor quality. Fiona was moved to a new permanent home at Dalscone Farm park, near

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...

. A short film of Fiona's rescue was made available o
The Sheep Game YouTube
channel on 12 November 2023. The rescue of Fiona was broadcast on

BBC Scotland BBC Scotland is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Scotland. Its headquarters are in Glasgow, employing approximately 1,250 staff as of 2017, to produce 15,000 hours of television and radio programming per year. BBC Scotla ...

's Landward programme on 16 November. In December 2023 Fiona was used as the figurehead for a mental health campaign about loneliness for the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) and the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs.

References

{{Reflist Individual animals in Scotland 2023 in Scotland Individual sheep 21st century in Moray