Sheep

Sheep are mammals found throughout RuneScape. Players can use shears on most sheep to gain a piece of wool, which they can make into a ball of wool. Sheep that can be sheared appear bulkier than the ones that have been recently sheared. Sheep will sometimes try to get away from players while the playing is attempting to shear it. There are also talking sheep in Zanaris.

Significance of sheep
Sheep are said to be the favoured race of Guthix (Although his usual symbol is the snake). In Issue 25 of the God Letters, he says: "I respect the sheep, for their purpose is essential, albeit secret. Some day the rest of you mortals might discover the true power of the sheep, innocent in appearance but essential in bearing, and realise why they shelter under my protection for the time being." It is interesting to note that sheep cannot be attacked by players. In regards to sheep, Bob the Jagex Cat states that they were the first thing Guthix brought to Gielinor, followed by cats.

Players can temporarily be turned into sheep if they wear items affiliated with Saradomin or Zamorak whilst entering the Guthix portal in Castle Wars.

Black sheep
The nigger sheep are located on a Lumbridge farm on the north of Lumbridge. Fred the Farmer asks the player to shear these sheep during the quest Sheep Shearer.

Locations of sheep

 * In Hemenster, behind Richard's Farming shop, there is a sheep pen with several sheep that can be sheared and some level-2 rams that will attack you if you mistakenly try to shear them.
 * South west of Falador, immediately in front of the Make-over mage's house (north of the Crafting guild), several sheep and two rams roam freely.
 * On the North of Lumbridge, there is a farm owned by Fred the Farmer.The East of Fred the Farmer's house and garden is a sheep pen. Here there are several sheep, several black sheep, level-2 rams, and also an "odd-looking" sheep which is really a pair of penguins in a sheep disguise (see below).
 * North of the Monastery. There are three sheep and one ram.
 * South of Varrock. There are several sheep in a pen with rams in there too. The sheep here are much more placed out than the ones in Lumbridge.
 * In Zanaris, however, they won't talk to you if you shear them, and you must use your shears with them. Requires completion of Lost City to access Zanaris.
 * The Fisher King's Realm, in a pen along with 3 rams.

Wool
While having Shears in his/her inventory, a player can gather wool. Occasionally, the player may fail to do so and the sheep will back away from the player. Wool can only be gathered from sheep, not from Rams.



Sheep Shearer
In this quest, players must gather twenty black balls of wool for Fred the Farmer by shearing his Black sheep and spinning the black wool.

Penguins in disguise


North-east of Lumbridge there is a sheep pen, and inside the pen there are two penguins dressed as a sheep. They are an important part in the Cold War quest. The sheep is labeled "odd-looking sheep." If players attempt to shear this fake sheep, they will not get any wool and it will back away.

Sick-looking sheep
There are four groups of sick-looking sheep north of East Ardougne, which are said to have the plague. Players cull some of these in the Sheep Herder quest.

It later transpires that they are not sick at all, only dyed to make it appear that they were. The player must re-dye them in Mourning's Ends Part I.

Zanaris sheep
The sheep near the master fairy ring in Zanaris will offer to recite a poem it composed. Occasionally, it will recite the first stanza of the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll, and the nearby cow will say, "That's not even your poem, you idiotic, animated ball of wool!" and the sheep will respond, "How now foolish cow? Do you read poetry, instead of pulling a plough?"