Hundreds of sheep have been circling for days in China without any explanation, a video shows. The mysterious sight has raised many questions and speculations. Sheep in the northern Chinese region of Inner Mongolia have been walking in an endless circle for more than 10 days, People’s Daily reported along with a video on Wednesday, November 16. “The reason for the strange behavior is still a mystery,” People’s Daily said in a tweet. But that didn’t stop people from speculating. “They’re being held back by the freezing cold,” one person commented on Twitter. “Aliens,” another user wrote. Although professional veterinarians have not commented on this particular flock of sheep, a bacterial infection known as listeriosis or ring disease may be the culprit. Circling disease can infect a wide range of animals, causing them to “back into corners, lean against stationary objects, or circle toward the affected side,” explains the Merck Veterinary Manual. While this explanation remains unproven, some people have had even less likely theories about the behavior. “NASCAR fans, obviously,” said one Twitter user. Others found the behavior “ominous”, with one commenting: “The end is here!” One Twitter user found the sheep’s behavior far more innocent, saying “boys will be boys.” Inner Mongolia is a region in northern China bordering the nation of Mongolia. Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. He is a graduate of Minerva University where he studied communications, history and international politics. Previously, it was reported in the Deseret News.
