The terrifying phenomenon of animals walking in circles continues, as international websites circulated a new video showcasing a group of ducks moving in a strange circular pattern. In a bizarre occurrence that has yet to be clearly explained, a video displayed a flock of sheep in southern Jordan circling around themselves, reminiscent of an incident in China where a flock of sheep rotated incessantly for about two weeks.
Jordanian youth Mohammad Al-Nuaiseh, who documented the video for "Al Arabiya.net," said he filmed it in the Maraaj area of Karak governorate, while everyone around was bewildered by what was happening. He noted that this phenomenon was happening for the first time before him, and many passersby stopped to capture photos and videos of the flock. The sheep herder responsible for the flock confirmed that this was occurring for the first time in his experience.
**Mysterious Cause**
The reason behind the sheep rotating around themselves remains mysterious despite specialists' attempts to explain this intriguing phenomenon. Various interpretations have surfaced to explain this unusual scene that has bewildered experts. Some reports indicated that the sheep's circling might be due to a bacterial disease known as listeriosis, also called "louping.”
**Feeling of Frustration**
However, Andrew Fish, a professor of livestock and sheep production at the University of Melbourne in Australia, dismissed the notion that this behavior is due to "louping," explaining that this infection typically affects only 1 to 10% of the flock. Matt Bell, a professor in the agriculture department at Hartpury University in Gloucester, England, stated in an interview with Newsweek: "Sheep exhibit this repetitive behavior due to feeling frustrated from being kept in the barn for extended periods of time." He concluded, emphasizing that "keeping sheep in the barn for long durations, coupled with their feelings of frustration, leads to stereotypical behavior, namely, repetitive circling."
