Lambs are usually born in spring, which is why farmer Gunnlaugur Ólafsson from Hallgilsstadir in Langanesbyggd, northeast Iceland, was surprised to discover three newborn lambs in his herd at the end of last month.
A newborn lamb in the spring of 2008. Photo by Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir.
Unusual behavior of ravens circling his herd caught Ólafsson’s attention. His sheep had been brought back from the mountains and were located close to the farm. As it turned out, two ewes had given birth—one of them had two lambs, Morgunbladid reports.
The weather was cold and the temperature had dropped below zero during the night, so Ólafsson concluded that the only thing that had kept the lambs alive was the beestings from their mothers.
Only a week earlier a third ewe in Ólafsson’s possession had given birth to a little ram, which was named Mr. Fit because it also survived the cold.
The farmer explained that the ewes in question had lost the lambs they were carrying in spring and were therefore allowed to stay with the rams until June. Their frolicking has now born fruit, as it turns out.
Click here to watch an audio slideshow on lambs being born and here to watch a slideshow on réttir, sheep roundup.
