Fun Facts of Goat
- Goats were one of the first animals to be tamed by humans and were being herded 9,000 years ago.
- Goat meat is the most consumed meat per capita worldwide.
- Goats can be taught their name and to come when called.
- Goats are social animals, however unlike sheep, who they are closely related to, they are not flock-orientated.
- Goats communicate with each other by bleating. Mothers will often call to their young (kids) to ensure they stay close-by. Mother and kid goats recognise each other's calls soon after the mothers give birth.
- Kids can follow their mothers almost immediately after being born. They are very close to their mothers and are weaned after around 6 months.
- Goats are very intelligent and curious animals. Their inquisitive nature is exemplified in their constant desire to explore and investigate anything unfamiliar which they come across.
- Goats have excellent coordination. They have great balance and are thus able to survive in precarious areas such as steep mountains. They can even climb trees and some species can jump over 5 feet high.
- The goat is one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. It represents introversion, creativity, shyness and being a perfectionist.
- The latin ‘Capra’ is the root of the word ‘capricious’ which means quirky, whimsical, fanciful and apt to change suddenly.
- Like sheep, a goat’s eye is rectangular rather than round. They have excellent night vision and will often browse during the night.
- Goats discovered coffee! Apparently in Ethiopia a goat herd saw goats behaving more actively and energetically after eating from a particular bush. He then tried it himself and felt uplifted, awake and full of energy.
- In Scotland feral goats are descendants of livestock which were
abandoned during the highland clearances. They therefore act as a
reminder of a turbulent past.