Shrek is a sheep who was happily living in a South Island New Zealand cave for six years. As a result he routinely missed getting shorn every Spring.

When he finally emerged, he was hardly recognizable. "We didn't know he was there," a New Zealand local told BBC back in 2004 when Shrek was found. "He looked like some biblical creature."

Shrek was shorn in 30 minutes on live television and ended up yielding 60 pounds of fleece, which BBC says is enough to make "20 large men's suits."

The story has resurfaced because Modern Farmer was curious: can a sheep's wool grow forever? Its writer, Jesse Hirsch, interviewed Dave Thomas, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's head of sheep studies. Thomas says a Merino sheep like Shrek will grow wool indefinitely. The article was picked up by Digg.

Unfortunately Shrek died in 2011. But we can remember him in photos.

So, what does a sheep that hasn't been shorn in six years look like?

Here's Shrek after his 30-minute shearing:

And here's Shrek before. No feet!