Unlikely Allies: Rabbits Ride on Sheep's Backs to Escape Flooding

In a surprising turn of events, a farmer in New Zealand recently witnessed a remarkable sight during heavy rain when he saw wild rabbits riding on the backs of sheep to escape rising floodwaters.

Ferg Horne, the 64-year-old farmer, knew he had to capture the unbelievable scene with his camera.

"I couldn't believe it for a start," Mr Horne expressed his initial disbelief.

He embarked on a mission to rescue his neighbor's sheep from the flooded area on his South Island farm near Dunedin when he noticed some peculiar dark shapes from a distance. Perplexed, he realized that his neighbor did not own any black-faced sheep. However, he soon discovered that the rabbits were using the sheep as a means of transportation.

The sheep were gathered together on higher ground, standing in about three inches of water. The bedraggled rabbits appeared wet but surprisingly comfortable on top of their woolly friends. Mr Horne was particularly amazed by their initiative and decided to spare their lives, even though he typically considers rabbits as pests and shoots them.


As he herded the sheep to a dry patch of land about 50 meters away, the rabbits made valiant attempts to hold on. Mr Horne observed that they clung onto the wool with their paws but eventually fell off as they reached higher ground. Nevertheless, they skillfully managed to climb a hedge to safety.

Later in the afternoon, Mr Horne returned to find that the floodwaters had receded, the sheep were all safe, and the rabbits were nowhere to be found. Moreover, his own home remained unaffected by the flood.

This extraordinary event has left Mr Horne astounded. He shared the photographs he took with his family, fully aware that they would never believe his story otherwise. The story of these resourceful rabbits riding on the backs of sheep to escape flooding is a testament to the incredible survival instincts and adaptability of animals in the face of adversity.

Posted in Animals Tech & Science by Paul van der Maas