Matilda, a Highland cow, is having a big online moment after her first beach trip ended with a happy run straight into the surf.
Set against an Australian sunset, the outing has already drawn millions of views and plenty of smiles.
What happened?
People reported that farmer Brooke Atkins (@brookey_atkins) posted Instagram footage of her fluffy Highland cow, Matilda, exploring the beach on New South Wales' Mid North Coast. In the clip, Matilda crosses the sand on a leash, goes into the water, and roams the shoreline at sunset alongside Atkins' dog.
On Instagram, Atkins described the outing: "Who said cows don't want to adventure too! Matilda had the time of her life checking out the surf for the first time." She also wrote: "Take your cow with you! They only get to see what you show them!"
Later, Atkins told the Australian news show Today that Matilda is a "diva" and said the calf took to the water almost immediately: "That was her first trip ever to the beach and she absolutely loved it, she jumped off the float, saw the water and just took off trodding down to the water." Atkins added, "I was surprised because cows can be stubborn."
Why does it matter?
According to People, Atkins said her horses usually get to leave the stables, while Matilda "always gets left behind." In time, she decided to do something about that.
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"I started to feel guilty and I thought why not take the cow? So, here we are," she told Today.
Atkins said beachgoers did a "double take" when they noticed Matilda on the shore — a reaction she found "hilarious."
What are people saying?
One person wrote, "I love this so much! Thank you for being an awesome human."
Another commenter said, "Probably not that many cows have seen the beach when you think about it! Lucky!"
A third jokingly asked, "How much does a cow like that cost? me asking while i'm in my 1 bedroom apartment."
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