Owner mourns loss of ‘world’s oldest sheep’

An ear tag on the Blackface ewe – now nicknamed Methuselina after the oldest person whose age is mentioned in the Bible – showed that she was just a month short of 26 years old.

The ewe was found dead on rocks at Garry Beach on Friday.

Her owner, crofter John Maciver, of North Tolsta, Lewis, put her longevity down to her still having most of her teeth, allowing her to graze easily, and her “independent spirit”.

Most sheep do not live longer than 12 years, and most lose their teeth after a decade.

The sheep was older than two of Mr Maciver’s grown-up children and just a year younger than his eldest son, who is 27.

Mr Maciver, 51, said: “It is a sad end. But a fence could never keep her – she was very lively.

“She was never a big sheep but she produced her last lambs three years ago and even then they were twins.

“I tried to sell her twice, but she was refused by the auctioneer because she was so scrawny and on another occasion she jumped out of the trailer taking her to market.

“I will miss her. I kept her in the end for sentimental reasons.

“She still had a good set of teeth. If she had not gone over the cliff I’m sure she would have gone on and on.”