African pygmy goat
Capra aegrarius hircus
The African pygmy goat is one of several species of domesticated goats. It is smaller and stockier than the Finnish Landrace goat. The colouring varies by individual from black and white to grey, reddish brown and multi-coloured. The males and females both have horns, but the males are larger and more bearded.
Goats are gregarious animals. They are very curious and like to climb up to elevated places for a better view. Goats are kept as domestic animals for their milk and meat.
Conservation
The wild ancestor of the domesticated goat is the wild goat Capra aegagrus, which has a range stretching from the Mediterranean to Pakistan and lives in mountainous areas and barren steppes. Wild goats have suffered from competition with domesticated goats and are classified as vulnerable.
Feral domesticated goats represent an environmental threat in areas they do not belong in, areas that cannot bear the grazing and consumption caused by goats.
Endangerment
Distribution
Habitat
Diet
Size
Lifespan
10–18 years
Scientific classification
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae