The absurdly fluffy sheep who got a nation talking is completely unrecognisable this afternoon after losing a record-breaking 40kg of fleece in an epic shearing session.
At a media appearance on Thursday, the Canberra sheep - which was blinded by excess wool covering its eyes - appeared trim and comfortable in a green blanket.
An RSPCA spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia vets said the sheep, known as Chris, appeared to be doing relatively well but will remain under observation for some time.
The animal welfare agency is hoping he will find a new home soon, suggesting a local farmer may open his paddock for the sheep. Not much is known about how exactly the sheep managed to balloon to its incredible size.
'It looks like he was separated from his herd at some point and has been wandering around by himself for a couple of years,' the spokeswoman said.
A local walking group spotted Chris several several times recently but he continued to evade authorities until a sighting approximately a week ago.
It took days for the RSPCA to muster the manpower required to capture him.
The sheep's fleece, shorn off by four-time national shearing champion Ian Elkins, officially weighed in at 40.45kgs, easily topping the previous record holder.
The overcoat clipped off Shrek, a renegade New Zealand sheep who was on the run from authorities for six years, weighed in at around 27kgs.
It took around an hour and two separate passes with the clippers for Mr Elkins to remove approximately 12 inches of wool from Chris.
A fleece of this humongous size causes health problems, said RSPCA ACT chief executive Tammy Ven Dange.
'It can actually make it impossible for them to go to the bathroom. We don't know how bad the damage could be because this has been building for awhile.
The layers upon layers of matted wool also mask any signs of infection it may be experiencing.
It's not the first time Australia has witnessed a sheep balloon to its current size.
(dailymail.co.uk)
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