Earth Changes

500 Sheep die in 'mass suicide jump' off cliff in eastern Turkey

Strange Sounds
Sat, 03 Aug 2019 00:00 UTC

One sheep reportedly jumped off a 20-meter high cliff and was followed by the others in the herd, which was grazing in the Topyıldız village of Van's Gürpınar district.

The sheep that triggered the bizarre incident was reportedly trying to jump from one cliff to another in the early hours of June 12 in the Arebi-Krom plateau near the Yaprakli hamlet.

After the shepherd informed the sheep owners of the incident, villagers arrived at the scene to find the dead bodies of 500 animals.

The villagers sought help from the Gürpinar prefecture and the local directorate of agriculture and livestock, trying to identify their own sheep among the pile of dead animals.

We are completely shocked. We have lost 500 cattle here. We want support from the officials," villager Ahmet Karataş said.

This video shows a similar sheep mass suicide in 2010 in Turkey again:

Well I doubt they have received any kinds of compensations. Insurances probably do not cover animal mass suicides.

Comment: This is also eerily similar to an incident in France a few years ago where 200 sheep died from jumping off a cliff. While a bear was blamed for chasing the sheep, the incident could have been caused by something altogether different. As the SOTT editor commented:

Although a bear attack can't be ruled out, we can suspect that the incident was created by a "weather event" or something that created a high impact explosion, like a sonic boom or lightning strike. Sheep have acute hearing and are prone to "instantly scatter" away from heavy percussion and the source of the vibration. Many of the sheep were found to have dispersed over the mountains. It's dubious that a bear attack would create that type of a reaction.

Reader Comments

Awordinyourear · 2019-08-06T07:38:22Z

in the article sheep miraculously become cattle.

Charlie Horse · 2019-08-06T08:17:50Z

The human understanding is mass suicide... unlikely. I am rue to comment over such a horrible event and feel for both the sheep and their owners however, they did not just follow each other to their deaths. Speculating would be disrespectful even if they are showing the human race a lesson to be learned. But I have already gone too far. It must have been scary for them whatever the case may be.

aurora · 2019-08-06T09:25:19Z

The religious holiday feast of sacrifice is nearing where the sheep are sacrificed. So instead of dying at the hands of people, they just jumped off the cliff

BlackCartouche · 2019-08-06T09:41:02Z

Looks like the Lemming syndrome has jumped species (sorry, couldn't resist)

OMG! · 2019-08-06T11:07:28Z

Yes ... but the lemmings were chased over the cliff.

Charlie Horse · 2019-08-07T00:12:19Z

OMG! ...by their conscience

IncenDiary · 2019-08-07T21:21:00Z

Charlie Horse No, by Disney. Look up "Wild Wilderness," 1958. [Link]
The lemmings supposedly committing mass suicide by leaping into the ocean were actually thrown off a cliff by the Disney filmmakers. The epic "lemming migration" was staged using careful editing, tight camera angles and a few dozen lemmings running on snow covered lazy-Susan style turntable.

[Link]
Lemmings do not commit suicide. However, this particular myth is based on some actual lemming behaviors. Lemmings have large population booms every three or four years. When the concentration of lemmings becomes too high in one area, a large group will set out in search of a new home. Lemmings can swim, so if they reach a water obstacle, such as a river or lake, they may try to cross it. Inevitably, a few individuals drown. But it’s hardly suicide.

BlackCartouche · 2019-08-10T20:58:13Z

IncenDiary

Lemmings do not commit suicide.

You sayin' EvolutionIsTrue™ isn't true?

Charlie Horse · 2019-08-11T14:46:06Z

IncenDiary Oh... I tried both links but they didn't work for me. Do I need a subscription?

IncenDiary · 2019-08-11T15:01:30Z

Charlie Horse No, for some reason extra trash appeared at the end of the URL... Weird.

[Link]
[Link]
You have to remove the "%3Cblockquote%3E" at the end, I dunno why it's there... sorry

Charlie Horse · 2019-08-11T15:10:15Z

IncenDiary Thanks, IncenDiary. Checked it out (shakes head in disbelief)

Idjits.

Rowan Cocoan · 2019-08-07T10:29:08Z

Very sad. As 'tis said, their troubles are over. Surely seems in right category; 'Earth Changes.'

Moreover, to provide some irreverent revery, I bet that the price of mutton around there is about to 'fall' to record levels.

R.C.

Charlie Horse · 2019-08-11T14:49:22Z

Rowan Cocoan he he he... either that or there'll be one helluva free baabeque for the whole village.

Shhh! Don't tell anyone I said that