"A Glitch In The Matrix"

[Zinjanthropos]

AI Overview

AI Overview

Freezing is a defensive response that animals, including sheep, may exhibit when faced with a threat:
Definition
Freezing is a state of immobility and reduced heart rate that helps animals avoid detection and prepare to escape
When it occurs
Freezing is activated when a predator threat is intermediate, and it's different from the fight-or-flight response that occurs when the threat is imminent
What it looks like
Freezing involves a tense body posture, reduced movement, and a slowed heart rate
Why it's important
Freezing is a protective behavior that helps animals manage threats and survive

Recently saw a vid where a giant Puff Adder used freeze response in the presence of a Honey Badger. The snake can also mask its scent in this state. Perhaps something spooked the sheep in MR’s vid. As with CC mentioning rain perhaps there was thunder or lightning accompanying it.

[Magical Realist]

Yeah I noticed a few head movements in some of the videos, suggesting it isn't a frozen moment in time. But it merely proves the scene to be a real video instead of a photo. What could account for it? It defies logic that every sheep spread out over the pasture would simultaneously go into freeze mode, even those not facing the others. Perhaps evidence for some kind of telepathically linked "herd mind"? But why holding still for a long time? Evolutionarily speaking any wakeful moment not spent grazing and searching for more plants to graze is time wasted.

Normally it's light rain that sheep will stand still in. Camera footage doesn't always indicate that rain is falling, especially when only drizzly. Examples of frozen sheep in light rain:

"Sheep are mesmerising in the rain, have a look at this film, it’s not a photo! I think that movement opens their fleece, allowing water to penetrate down to the skin." 

Fletcher's Flock
https://www.facebook.com/Fletchersflock/...583067060/

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"I thought for sure there was some 'follow the leader' going on here, but some say standing still keeps the rain from soaking in and hitting their skin. And it was raining. It's still fun to watch. Here are a few other videos linked below. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought this was amazing."

Sheep standing still as a group
https://youtu.be/Hn9cXr3BZNU

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"Today morning, I woke up in the rain. Looking out from the window, all the sheep standing in the rain, like statues. They are not moving in the rain."

Sheep stand in the rain like statues
https://youtu.be/pgjeVlgjrIg

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"Pretty much self-explanatory, really."

Sheep standing still in thunderstorm
https://youtu.be/_IpvvB6L2dA

Though the skies were clear in your first video, there were pools of water, as if it had been raining earlier.

The second video you posted looks misty and there is an overcast sky.

From the glossy appearance of the road, it's apparent that there's light rain in the third video.

Similar with the fourth -- gloomy sky and fuzzy appearance. Maybe it wasn't raining right then, but had been just previously (off and on repeatedly).

Makes sense now. Tks for your research on this.