A farmer in the southern Westfjords discovered a small herd of feral sheep in remote and inaccessible mountain sides of Barðaströnd region. Most of the sheep belong to farmers in the region, but have managed to evade the annual sheep round-up, escaping into the mountains. Some of the sheep have been living in the mountain since 2013.
A drone to assist in the sheep round-up
Ásgeir Sveinsson, a farmer at Innri Múli in the Barðaströnd region, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service that some sheep always manage to evade the annual sheep round up in the fall. The farmers then go back during the fall and winter to chase these runaway sheep down, herding them back to the farm where they are kept and fed indoors during the winter. However, the mountain sides they are hiding in are both remote and inaccessible.
Read more: Amazing photographs of sheep being herded through snow covered no-man’s lands in North Iceland
When Ásgeir got a drone he decided to use it to confirm his suspicion there were still sheep hiding in the mountain. They are hiding in very difficult terrain where they can't be seen when we go looking for them, so I decided to try this drone I got, to fly out there to look for the sheep.
At least 27 runaway sheep
Using the drone Ásgeir was able to locate 27 sheep, including several he could identify as belonging to farmers in the region. One ewe had not been seen since 2013. Some of the sheep had clearly been lambed in the mountain. Ásgeir points out that one brown ram which carries no marks is at least three or four winters old.
Ásgeir told RÚV that the sheep have not only found the perfect area to remain undetected during sheep round-ups, the area was also perfect to weather the winter. The lambs he assured RÚV, were no doubt bigger and stronger than those who have spent the winter under roof at the farm. You can't find better pastures to spend the winter than those.
Sigluneshlíðar from Ásgeir Sveinsson on Vimeo.
A farmer in the southern Westfjords discovered a small herd of feral sheep in remote and inaccessible mountain sides of Barðaströnd region. Most of the sheep belong to farmers in the region, but have managed to evade the annual sheep round-up, escaping into the mountains. Some of the sheep have been living in the mountain since 2013.
A drone to assist in the sheep round-up
Ásgeir Sveinsson, a farmer at Innri Múli in the Barðaströnd region, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service that some sheep always manage to evade the annual sheep round up in the fall. The farmers then go back during the fall and winter to chase these runaway sheep down, herding them back to the farm where they are kept and fed indoors during the winter. However, the mountain sides they are hiding in are both remote and inaccessible.
Read more: Amazing photographs of sheep being herded through snow covered no-man’s lands in North Iceland
When Ásgeir got a drone he decided to use it to confirm his suspicion there were still sheep hiding in the mountain. They are hiding in very difficult terrain where they can't be seen when we go looking for them, so I decided to try this drone I got, to fly out there to look for the sheep.
At least 27 runaway sheep
Using the drone Ásgeir was able to locate 27 sheep, including several he could identify as belonging to farmers in the region. One ewe had not been seen since 2013. Some of the sheep had clearly been lambed in the mountain. Ásgeir points out that one brown ram which carries no marks is at least three or four winters old.
Ásgeir told RÚV that the sheep have not only found the perfect area to remain undetected during sheep round-ups, the area was also perfect to weather the winter. The lambs he assured RÚV, were no doubt bigger and stronger than those who have spent the winter under roof at the farm. You can't find better pastures to spend the winter than those.
Sigluneshlíðar from Ásgeir Sveinsson on Vimeo.
