Baarack the sheep - 3rd March 2021

Nicknamed Baarack, this wild sheep was found roaming a Victoria State forest in Australia last week. He was struggling under the weight of his filthy fleece, caked with years of mud.

Baarack has now been shorn of his heavy coat at an animal rescue centre north of Melbourne.

Pam Ahern, the founder of Edgar's Mission Farm Sanctuary, said the fleece showed over five years of unchecked growth.

The fleece, once shorn, came in at a whopping 35 kilograms. A coat of such weight can prevent sheep from walking and in Australia's hot and dry summers, may prove lethal.

Despite the hefty weight of Baarack's woollen locks, he falls short of the world record, which is held by a fellow Australian. When it was shorn in 2015, Chris the sheep's fleece weighed in at a massive 41 kilograms.

The mutton's makeover has seen him go viral on social media, racking up millions of views on TikTok.

Baarack is now settling in with other sheep on the farm and chewing over his newfound celebrity.