Capra hircus hircus

Related to the Eurasian breeds of domestic goat, the Hawaiian populations of feral goats trace their ancestry to Captain Cook's introduction of goats to Ni`ihau and probably to the other islands in 1778-1779.  The original Ni`ihau goats were killed, but goats on the other islands became established.

 Because of isolation, populations of goats on each island appear to be evolving characteristics specific to their population.  Although the coloration is black, brown, or a combination of these colors, color patterns, horn or hooves have been reported to be different on each island.  Differentiation appears to also occur to some degree between groups on an island.

 The population of goats increased because of royal sanctions, but goats were also hunted under license for hides and meat to provision visiting ships.  Their grazing caused environmental problems, as the endemic plants had no defense against these herbivores.  In addition the goats' adaptability to rough terrain caused the loss of many other species adapted to that type of habitat.  In many cases the ecosystems have not been able to regenerate themselves due to the continued presence of goats or other feral hoof stock.  On the plus side for the goats: they do provide a recreational outlet in hunting as a meat source, and the goats have provided a limited control of the noxious fountain grass and some of the other alien plant pests.

 Billy Boy, our male goat was wild born and donated to the zoo in 1993.  His zoo diet is ½ bucket feed, 1 ½ scoop alfalfa pellets, 1 scoop barley or corncob and hay in the morning, and cut greens in the afternoon.