Meet Sherman: a smart young sheep with a shocking story to tell.

Months ago, Sherman cheated death when he escaped a sheep farm in Australia, sneaking away into a neighboring national park. All alone, Sherman learned to fend for himself, scavenging for food and finding his own shelter. Then, one day, Sherman saw a person and their dog walking through the bush.

sheep in the grass Edgar’s Mission

The visitors noticed Sherman, too, but they didn’t immediately recognize him.

“[They] mistook him for a strange-looking kangaroo,” Edgar’s Mission, a farm sanctuary, wrote in a Facebook post.

sheep in the grass Edgar’s Mission

The passerby eventually realized the animal’s true identity and reported their sighting to rescuers at Edgar’s Mission. Sanctuary team members knew they had to do something.

“[S]olitude is no life for a flock animal,” Edgar’s Mission wrote. “And a national park is no place for a hard-hooved introduced wanderer.”

Unfortunately, their first rescue mission was a bust. Sherman had a mental map of the entire area, and he managed to dart away from rescuers during each of their attempts.

“He knew every escape route,” Edgar’s Mission wrote.

But the diligent team members weren’t giving up. They soon returned with renewed energy and expertise.

“This time, our plan was perfect,” Edgar’s Mission wrote. “We’d scoped the area over many days and, just like Sherm, we charted a map.”

With help from local park rangers, Vets For Compassion and a rescue sheep named Kansas, the Edgar’s Mission team members managed to contain Sherman and transport him to their farm.

people helping sheepEdgar’s Mission

Today, Sherman is settling in at the sanctuary, slowly adapting to his new life of love and care.

sheep and teddy bear Edgar’s Mission

“Sherman is still learning and still finding trust, but his life will never again be ruled by fear or flight,” Edgar’s Mission wrote. “Because somewhere between his past and his future, between stimulus and response, we chose. And in that choice, Sherman found freedom.”

To help other animals like Sherman, you can make a donation to Edgar’s Mission. To keep up with other rescue stories, you can follow Edgar’s Mission on Facebook.Rescuer Feels 'Sick' When She Sees Sheep Collapsed — Then She Realizes The TruthRescuer Feels ‘Sick’ When She Sees Sheep Collapsed — Then She Realizes The Truth“[If] you listened softly, you would have heard our hearts crack.”