Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a cow from Appenzell in Switzerland! A video of a spinning cow being transported by helicopter has gone viral on Instagram. The video now has over 10 million views.
The video, uploaded by Swiss tour guide Marc Gottwald, shows an injured cow being airlifted from the mountains to the town of Wasserauen in Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden. 20 minuten revealed that the flight occurred back in July. The cow was assessed by a veterinarian and transported back to the valley floor via a helicopter. The cow made a full recovery.
The video was uploaded on Instagram, before edits were spread on other social media platforms, gaining upwards of 10 million views. "This is how butter is made in Switzerland," one user joked, with another giving the video its new nickname: the “Swiss milkshake.”
In response to questions about the cow’s wellbeing, Walter Mock, the president of the Appenzell Innerrhoden Farmers’ Association, clarified that it wasn’t a rare event. "If the animal is injured and the terrain is inaccessible, it has to be transported by helicopter to feed it," he explained. So long as proper procedure is followed, the flight is harmless for the animal, he assured.
You can check out the video here: