450 Sheep Jump to Their Deaths in Turkey

**ThirdMarioBro** · 07-08-2005, 10:16 PM

The Associated Press
Friday, July 8, 2005; 9:59 PM

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- First one sheep jumped to its death. Then stunned Turkish shepherds, who had left the herd to graze while they had breakfast, watched as nearly 1,500 others followed, each leaping off the same cliff, Turkish media reported.

In the end, 450 dead animals lay on top of one another in a billowy white pile, the Aksam newspaper said. Those who jumped later were saved as the pile got higher and the fall more cushioned, Aksam reported.

"There's nothing we can do. They're all wasted," Nevzat Bayhan, a member of one of 26 families whose sheep were grazing together in the herd, was quoted as saying by Aksam.

The estimated loss to families in the town of Gevas, located in Van province in eastern Turkey, tops $100,000, a significant amount of money in a country where average GDP per head is around $2,700.

"Every family had an average of 20 sheep," Aksam quoted another villager, Abdullah Hazar as saying. "But now only a few families have sheep left. It's going to be hard for us."

The end is nigh...

Ra · 07-09-2005, 02:52 AM

Reminds me of that one episode of 'South Park', with the cow statue. The cows stole it and worshiped it until the people took it away. Then they all jumped off a cliff

*Spitfire* · 07-09-2005, 03:30 AM

Maybe they saw Rosie O'Donnell

*The Stryker* · 07-09-2005, 04:24 AM

Homer:"Animals, They're always the first ones to know"

*KROW* · 07-09-2005, 09:45 AM

Time to start knitting some sweaters and making lambchops.

*Brodie* · 07-10-2005, 10:47 AM

Good. I ****ing hate Sheep.

Lambs are cool though.

*Anarky* · 07-10-2005, 11:32 AM

That's odd... I wonder why those animals jumped. I mean, jumpin goff cliffs usually is a stunt for lemmings.

*XERO* · 07-10-2005, 01:20 PM

So...which one was the Black Sheep?

Ra · 07-13-2005, 08:59 PM

NO! Not Blacky!

Wingnut · 07-13-2005, 10:07 PM

Im willing to bet the sheep actually thought about what their lives were going to be like.

hazlov2004 · 07-14-2005, 10:44 AM

well i dont know they did that hmm....

*Zachatello00* · 07-15-2005, 02:40 PM

That's really interesting, but not necessarily suprising. Sheep have a sort of ingrained sense of following each other and of unity. So, I'm betting the first one just sorta fell 'er somethin' and the rest followed suit.

07-08-2005, 10:16 PM	#1
ThirdMarioBro Tea Time! Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 8,905	450 Sheep Jump to Their Deaths in Turkey The Associated Press Friday, July 8, 2005; 9:59 PM ISTANBUL, Turkey -- First one sheep jumped to its death. Then stunned Turkish shepherds, who had left the herd to graze while they had breakfast, watched as nearly 1,500 others followed, each leaping off the same cliff, Turkish media reported. In the end, 450 dead animals lay on top of one another in a billowy white pile, the Aksam newspaper said. Those who jumped later were saved as the pile got higher and the fall more cushioned, Aksam reported. "There's nothing we can do. They're all wasted," Nevzat Bayhan, a member of one of 26 families whose sheep were grazing together in the herd, was quoted as saying by Aksam. The estimated loss to families in the town of Gevas, located in Van province in eastern Turkey, tops $100,000, a significant amount of money in a country where average GDP per head is around $2,700. "Every family had an average of 20 sheep," Aksam quoted another villager, Abdullah Hazar as saying. "But now only a few families have sheep left. It's going to be hard for us." The end is nigh... __________________

07-09-2005, 02:52 AM	#2
Ra It's my desire? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In your pants. Posts: 4,441	Reminds me of that one episode of 'South Park', with the cow statue. The cows stole it and worshiped it until the people took it away. Then they all jumped off a cliff __________________ "So. The whole lot of you against little old me? How retarded."

07-09-2005, 03:30 AM	#3
Spitfire Writer • Director Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 12,035	Maybe they saw Rosie O'Donnell __________________ Check out my online portfolio http://www.christopherpelletier.com/

07-09-2005, 04:24 AM	#4
The Stryker Stupid Rich Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Room 237 Posts: 11,152	Homer:"Animals, They're always the first ones to know" __________________ @~<3 Mom~@

07-09-2005, 09:45 AM	#5
KROW Meat-n-Potatoes Man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: State's Anus, NY Posts: 6,472	Time to start knitting some sweaters and making lambchops. __________________ - Optimus Acid Trip - Cult of a Half-Shell - Raiden's Bitter Tongue - *I don't try to be funny; I fail at it naturally.*

07-10-2005, 10:47 AM	#6
Brodie Certified Teacher Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Bizarro Metropolis Posts: 6,495	Good. I ****ing hate Sheep. Lambs are cool though. __________________ Stupendous Monster

07-10-2005, 11:32 AM	#7
Anarky Outlaw Hero Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Tannhauser Gate Posts: 4,867	That's odd... I wonder why those animals jumped. I mean, jumpin goff cliffs usually is a stunt for lemmings. __________________ Because it's... I dunno... brutal.

07-10-2005, 01:20 PM	#8
XERO Hybrid Theorist Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Alamo City Posts: 8,185	So...which one was the Black Sheep? __________________ "Travel at the speed of light... then hit the nitro!"

07-13-2005, 08:59 PM	#9
Ra It's my desire? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In your pants. Posts: 4,441	NO! Not Blacky! __________________ "So. The whole lot of you against little old me? How retarded."

07-13-2005, 10:07 PM	#10
Wingnut Mad Scientist Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Pao Pao Café Posts: 1,264	Im willing to bet the sheep actually thought about what their lives were going to be like. __________________ "I'll be what I wanna do."

07-14-2005, 10:44 AM	#11
hazlov2004 Mad Scientist Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Conyers GA Posts: 1,272	well i dont know they did that hmm.... __________________ Im a silly and random person

07-15-2005, 02:40 PM	#12
Zachatello00 On the beat! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hiding behind the phone booth Posts: 2,137	That's really interesting, but not necessarily suprising. Sheep have a sort of ingrained sense of following each other and of unity. So, I'm betting the first one just sorta fell 'er somethin' and the rest followed suit. __________________ "You're still news!"