A 10-day-old lamb from north-western China has taken the internet by storm for its uncanny ability to “play dead”, earning it the nickname “drama queen lamb” and attracting offers as high as 130,000 yuan (about ₹15 lakh).
The lamb belongs to farmer Jin Xiaolin from Zhongfang Village in Baofeng Town, Pingluo County, in the Ningxia region. Its unusual behaviour first came to light on January 13, when Jin took four lambs to a local market to sell.
Lamb collapses whenever adults approach
While three lambs were sold at the usual market price of 420 yuan each, the fourth behaved very differently. According to Jin, the lamb would instantly collapse and lie motionless whenever someone tried to touch it, leading buyers to believe it was sick and avoid purchasing it.
“Once people walked away, it would quietly get up and act completely normal,” Jin said. Interestingly, the lamb appeared calm and friendly only around children, adding to its mystique.
Social media fame and big offers
A relative later shared videos of the lamb on social media, showing it dramatically “playing dead” whenever approached. The clips quickly went viral, amassing over 10 million views across platforms and tens of thousands of followers.
Fans jokingly dubbed it the “voice-controlled pretend-to-be-dead sheep from Ningxia”, with many calling its performance “Oscar-worthy”. Several viewers reportedly offered to buy the lamb for nearly 130,000 yuan, but Jin turned them all down.
Owner chooses affection over money
“It’s so adorable and humanlike. How could I bear to sell it?” Jin said, adding that visitors now come daily just to see the lamb.
Instead of selling it, Jin hopes to use the lamb’s popularity to promote local specialities such as lamb products, goji berries and eight-treasure tea. Online reactions remain divided, with some urging him to sell the lamb for its safety, while others praise his decision to keep it.
For now, the “drama queen lamb” continues to charm visitors — and the internet — one dramatic collapse at a time.