Our Zoo is now home to five new Nigerian dwarf goats.
We’re baaa-ck with a blog all about the five newest members of our Paws On barnyard family: more Nigerian dwarf goats! These female goats are yet to be named, because we’re relying on YOU to choose. Head over to our Instagram or Facebook story to cast your vote today, July 18!
The five kids (baby goats) join our existing four female goat residents, Puff, Trix, Charm and Pebbles, in the Barnyard area of our Paws On loop. Since our Barnyard space had ample room to grow our goat family, we thought, “Why not?”
Our animal care team cradles two of the new goats.
“We wanted to bring more animal friends in for guests to interact with and learn about,” said Curator of Ambassador Animals Madison Polk. “Our goats are also amazing Ambassador Animals and participate in educational programs, so they will help us expand our programming as well!”
As always, choice and control is central to caring for our animals and their wellbeing. Our animal care team and Barnyard volunteers will be monitoring the 4-month-old goats’ behavior closely over these next few weeks, ensuring they have the space to step away from human interaction as they please. They also have their own “no touch” zones, so the little ones have liberty over where they spend their time.
Of the five, there are three goats with copper fur, one with sandy beige fur, and one with white fur. The goat that is entirely copper with a white tail is very independent; She tends to keep to herself. Another one of the copper-colored goats with a black tail is shyer and prefers to stick with her other goat friends. The last of the red-hued goats with big, moon-shaped white shapes across her body is the smallest of the gang! But don’t let her size fool you, she boasts a super social personality and loves to bleat and “maa” to make sure everyone knows she’s around!
The beige goat with spots is by far the largest in size, with a docile and friendly demeanor around people. And finally, the all-white one with blue eyes is the shyest of the group and takes some time to warm up, but she is very sweet once she gets to know you, added Madison.
Before transitioning to their new habitat, the goats spent some time behind the scenes while adjusting to their new home at the Zoo.
“We are excited to see their personalities develop as they grow!” she said. “Once their names have been voted on, it will be fun pairing the names to each personality it fits!”
Introducing goats to a new herd is a gradual, thoughtful process to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all animals involved. It typically begins with a period of protected contact known as “howdying,” meaning the new goats can see, hear and smell the existing herd through a fence or barrier, but can’t physically interact with them yet. This helps them get used to each other’s presence in a low-stress way, she continued.
When keepers see calm yet curious behavior, we move onto short, supervised interactions in a neutral space. Eventually, these sessions will grow longer until our team decides that everyone is getting along well! The process can take days or even weeks, depending on the individual personalities involved—but it’s always guided by the animals’ comfort levels.
So far, the kids seem delighted to join their new space.
Though they’re little, our goats have quite the voice! You can often hear their loud calls from afar.
“They are very sociable and come running to the door every time we enter their space,” Madison said. “Most of them are already very accepting of pets and have no clue what personal space is!”
Our keepers have even begun training the young ones for basic behaviors, including “touch de-sense,” in which the goats are rewarded with positive reinforcement for being calm as our team pets them. Plus, the group is learning to touch their nose to a “target” —ball attached to the end of a stick—helping our team guide them toward specific areas. This is especially helpful for training other behaviors in the future like going on leash-free walks and voluntary hoof trimming.
To see the new goats for yourself, stop by the Barnyard in our Paws On loop of the Zoo!
Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.