Bravery and Fortitude

Has it ever been considered what bravery and fortitude sheep display?

Sheep are small creatures and not fearsome. They are prey animals. If faced with an attacker, or a creature or person whom they have reason to fear, they have few options for ‘fighting them off’. If there are quite a few sheep, they can stand together and try to ‘face out’ who/what is representing a threat. If they have the space to do it, they can run away, hoping they will be able to move faster, or longer, than who/what they see as a threat. The basic and frequent, but unlikely-to-have much-effect, thing that sheep do in the face of a perceived threat is to stamp a foot. If the sheep is confined in a small space, such as a pen, all it can do in reaction to threat is stamp a foot, or back away as far as it is able.

A lot of what is done with sheep by humans must be hugely disliked by sheep. Sheep farming is a practice that carries activity - handling, droving, transportation, being in alien and crowded places such as sales, shows, etc - that cannot be to sheep’s natural preference. Sheep display great stoicism towards all this.

Sheep are sentient. But as vulnerable creatures they must see it as sensible not to parade their vulnerability. In pain, they rarely give any hint that they are. Sheep’s tendency is not to display that they are ill until they are very ill. 

There is a fundamental bravery that sheep show. Most of the time, sheep are outdoors. Day and night. So, they are in an innately vulnerable situation. Moreover, they may not be near any human habitation. During hours of darkness, sheep’s vulnerability to predators, or to any others with malicious intent towards them, is heightened. What bravery is being shown on the part of sheep, to be spaced out on an open, lonely, moor, at night-time.

From circumstances and due to humans’ wants, sheep are required to endure much. Sheep’s bravery and fortitude in their situation should have great salute.