A baby lamb and a fox

@JudyEv (323662)
Rockingham, Australia
July 7, 2019 8:48pm CST
When we were attending a horse endurance ride on the weekend, we drove through some paddocks looking for a good spot from which to take photos. At one place, we saw a baby lamb lying with a rock at his back. It was obvious he was brand new although his mother had cleaned him up. In case this is confusing, when a baby animal is born, the mother nibbles off the birth membranes and licks the baby clean. I was concerned that there were no ewes with cooee (meaning none within sight). I wasn’t about to leave the lamb there so I picked him up and walked over the hill looking for any sheep. The umbilical cord was still wet and bloody so he was very young. We did see two ewes but they both had bigger lambs. We took the lamb on to a farm house which was quite close. The guy there was happy to take him off our hands. He said, because it had been so wet and cold and there was little green feed, many ewes were abandoning their lambs. As he already had one pet, he was happy to have another so it was a good ending. We were especially pleased when, in the same area next day, we saw a fox crossing the paddock. We were a good way from him but the photo has turned out quite good while despite the distance. And he seems to have all four feet off the ground.
21 people like this
19 responses
@FourWalls (61308)
• United States
8 Jul 19
That's so sad that the ewes are leaving their newborns. I guess that's the "survival of the fittest" they talk about. It's still disheartening.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
If they were my ewes, I'd be checking on them through the day and picking up any that were abandoned. But lots of farmers don't believe it's worth the trouble of bottle-feeding. It would fall to the wife who, these days, could easily be working full-time as well.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (454852)
• Switzerland
8 Jul 19
Poor little thing, I am so glad that you could save the lamb.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (454852)
• Switzerland
8 Jul 19
@JudyEv I would have not abandoned him either.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
I didn't really want to have to keep him but I would have if necessary. Luckily the farmer was happy to have him.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (168368)
• United States
8 Jul 19
It's a good thing he didn't find the lamb..there would have been one happy fox, and one unhappy lamb! It reminds me of my son, when he was at camp and they were picking up trash along the road, a pig and a puppy followed them all the way back to camp... He thought it was adorable.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
The lamb was tagging along behind the car at one point. It was sad seeing him without a Mum.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (168368)
• United States
8 Jul 19
@JudyEv Poor little guy
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
9 Jul 19
Great picture. I have seen where ewes abandoning their babies. Inn the northwestern part of Colorado there are many sheep farms. We used to get a couple of the little ones and raise them. It was such fun.
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
9 Jul 19
@JudyEv Wow, that is a lot of lambs. They sre so cute and do bring in money. I can't see how anyone could knock them in the head. Isn't there people that would take them?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
We raised dozens of lambs when I was on our farm. In one bad season, before my mother married, she raised over 100 lambs. Nowadays the farmers are more likely to knock them on the head.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jul 19
@velvet53 I guess time is money and you have to find someone that wants them. But it is a shame to just do away with them.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
9 Jul 19
Hmmm... we're always told to leave baby animals we find alone. Supposedly, the mother will be back after we leave and take care of her baby. I tend not to check back on babies we found like that as I don't want to find bones and realize we left it there to die. Nice picture of the fox!
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
9 Jul 19
@JudyEv Yeah, I grew up on a working farm, too. I'm glad it worked out for the lamb you guys found, Judy.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
@DaddyEvil We didn't just go bowling in and take it. I'm glad it worked out too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
That would normally be the case but as I lived on a farm until I married I was confident that this little fellow's mother wasn't coming back. The mothers do go off and feed but they remain in the vicinity.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (39965)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Jul 19
@JudyEv - I am so glad you saved the baby lamb! It sounds like it could not have survived long on its own.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Jul 19
@JudyEv - I hope it is OK now, too, poor little thing.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
@DeborahDiane The farmer seemed really nice. He was holding it nicely and stroking it. The fact that he already had one was reassuring too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
If she had cleaned it up, it had probably had one drink and would have got its colostrum so hopefully it will be okay now.
1 person likes this
• China
8 Jul 19
You did a good deed !The ewes actually left the baby lamb on its own owing to lack of green feed ,where there are foxes ranging over.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
Yes, it is very wet and cold and the ewes aren't looking after their lambs very well in such conditions.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (110754)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Jul 19
That just sounds so odd to me, I can't understand why an ewe abandon a newborn like that. I'm glad you found it a good home.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (110754)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Jul 19
Sounds like sheep make lousy moms @JudyEv
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jul 19
I guess it's an instinct thing. If there isn't enough feed around, they just walk off. Survival of the fittest.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Jul 19
@rebelann They are good mums usually but if the season is really bad then they might desert their lambs. There were dozens in the paddocks that had their lambs with them.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Jul 19
so glad y'all saw the lamb 'n took 't 'pon yerselves to make certain 'twas unharmed. very sad thingies're that bad there , where's the ewe's 're leavin' their babes. great shot 'f the fox (i'm still waitin' to gimme one 'f those, most oft too dark), no doubt lookin' fer easy prey?
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Jul 19
@JudyEv yes ma'am, no doubt 'd found such easy pickin's :( so glad ya saved that one lil soul!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
The fox would have thought 'our' lamb was dinner on a plate. At least we deprived him of that one.
1 person likes this
@just4him (303324)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 Jul 19
I'm glad the lamb has a happy ending with a new home. Great picture getting that fox with all four feet off the ground.
1 person likes this
@just4him (303324)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 Jul 19
@JudyEv Yes, he does.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
It was just a stroke of luck. All you could see was a blur almost though enough to recognise it as a fox. I've cropped the photo quite a bit so you can see the fox. He has a great bushy tail.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129074)
• Israel
8 Jul 19
@JudyEv You guys did such a nice thing.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
We could never have driven off and just left him there.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
@Hannihar Thank you. Some people wouldn't have worried about him I guess.
@Hannihar (129074)
• Israel
9 Jul 19
@JudyEv I still say it was a very special thing you did for him.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
8 Jul 19
It is good to know someone cared - good on you for making the effort!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
There was no way I could have left him there - and Vince is just as soft-hearted. It was a very satisfying outcome.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 19
@DocAndersen Thank you very much. That's very kind.
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
9 Jul 19
@JudyEv The world is a better place with people like the two of you in it!
1 person likes this
@sophie09 (34278)
• Indonesia
8 Jul 19
did you take this picture?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
@sophie09 Thanks. He does take some really nice photos. He loves his hobby.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
My husband took it with a zoom lens but he still had to crop the photo a lot so you could see the fox.
1 person likes this
@sophie09 (34278)
• Indonesia
8 Jul 19
@JudyEv wow that is a great photograph
1 person likes this
@cperry2 (5610)
• Newport, Oregon
11 Jul 19
nice photo! I like the story about the lamb.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Jul 19
@cperry2 Here's another one.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Jul 19
We raised a lot of pet lambs when I was a child. Here's me with Bunty.
1 person likes this
@cperry2 (5610)
• Newport, Oregon
12 Jul 19
@JudyEv I love old photos like this.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (93502)
• Marion, Ohio
8 Jul 19
Glad you found him before the fox did.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
Yes, me too. He would have made an easy meal for the fox.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116876)
• Anniston, Alabama
8 Jul 19
Awww, that was awesome of you to take care of that baby. Awesome photo. I can tell all 4 are off the ground.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
He has a magnificent tail too, doesn't he? Some of the riders saw another one next day as we saw another coming home on the Sunday.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
8 Jul 19
Lucky there were no hounds.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
True. Hounds haring through a mob of ewes and lambs wouldn't have been welcomed even if they were after a fox.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
8 Jul 19
I saw a cool video on Facebook a couple days ago. A guy was laying down in a park reading a book and a fox came over to him and started nibbling his shoes and let the guy pet him. Neat.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
They seem to make quite nice pets. Of course, they are hated here because they are such a pest.
1 person likes this
@Janet357 (75678)
8 Jul 19
oh my, the lamb was saved just in the nick of time. thanks for that very much for that kindness.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323662)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 19
I would have taken him home if I'd had to. I've raised pet lambs before.