Our resident goats are a playful bunch and are anything but gruff providing lots of entertainment for the zoo team and our visitors.

They live in an area of the park called Muddy Duck Farm and are West African pygmy goats.  Five females between the ages of 8 and 11 live in the enclosure but sometimes, especially when the weather is nice, we let them have a run around the farm (under strict zoo keeper supervision of course!)

The African Pygmy is a dwarf goat and whilst they are found in the Cameroon Valley they exist in small numbers across the globe. A miniature dairy goat they are great for keeping as they can product large quantities of milk in comparison to their relatively small size.  And, because of their size and because they are fairly easy to care for, these lovely animals can be economically raised and kept as pets. Their docile temperament and fun loving actions (they love to climb and get a better view!), as well as being well-behaved and friendly towards humans, make them a perfect family companion and we love having them as part of the Flamingo Land family!

Facts about them include:

• The African Pygmy is a true miniature because its body conformation is so similar to that of the larger dairy breeds.
• They stand between 15 and 20 inches tall at the shoulder, and some are almost as wide as they are tall. Males are usually taller than females.
•  The horns on the bucks are longer and more curved whereas they are short and straight on the does.
• They come in a variety of colours, ranging from brown, black, white, red or golden, often in combination with random white markings.
• They are hardy and adaptable and thrive well in heat and humidity as they do in extreme cold.
• The African Pygmy can live for 10-15 years and is one of the few breeds of goat that will breed out of season. Therefore, they will often produce more than one kid crop per year, usually up to 4.
•  They are browsers rather than grazers, preferring shrubs and leaves than they do to grass. All goats usually have a reputation for eating anything as they ‘taste’ items to see if they are edible!

Cher, Angie, Mika, Kim and their friends look forward to seeing you soon!