Sheep blocked a major road (E81) in the northeast Romanian Szilágy (Sălaj) county. While flocks of sheep crossing the road isn’t really news in Romania – most mountainous regions have wandering herds that cover significant distances every year – the reason was somewhat unusual: the sheep licked salt from the road and couldn’t be bothered to move.
“A herd of sheep without their shepherd just outside Sâncraiu Almașului (Hungarian: Topaszentkirály) caused a veritable roadblock. The sheep began licking the salt off the road and couldn’t be bothered by the honking cars. Wherever the shepherd was, he certainly wasn’t in church”, a Facebook user posted on his page.
Sodium and chloride are essential elements for sheep, but being grazing animals, their normal diet does not contain enough salt. It is usually supplemented by placing salt blocks for them to lick or is directly added to their food. Free-grazing sheep, however, often lack this luxury.
