Now that I’ve established the definite theme of dedicating posts to specific kinds of animals, I figure I may as well lean into it and keep it going, even if this theme was not intentional at its start. I love animals, as do many people, so I figure the subject matter is at least somewhat intriguing and relevant to those of you reading.
My next selected animal to write about happens to be goats. My sister had three pet goats for quite a long while; the only male, Jackson, sadly passed away at roughly age four from colic, but the two females, Calleigh and Maggie, lived long and healthy lives up until their ends a few years back. I imagine goats will always hold a special place in my heart for this reason.
Goats are quirky and hilarious creatures, and to learn more about them, consider the following information from spca.bc.ca.
1) “There are over 200 different breeds of goats. With so many different breeds, sizes vary greatly. One of the smallest breeds of goat, the Nigerian dwarf goat, reaches weights of only up to 75 pounds, whereas the Nubian goat can reach weights up to 250 pounds. Some goats are fluffy. A specific breed of goat, the Angora goat, is known for its soft, long curly hair, called mohair. Ear size also varies between different goat breeds. Some goats have long floppy ears, like the Nubian or Boer goats, whereas Lamancha goats have very small ears.
2) “‘Fainting’ goats? ‘Fainting’ goats have become an internet phenomenon. However, this breed of goat (Myotonic), doesn’t actually faint. Due to a genetic mutation, when they are frightened, their muscles freeze up, causing them to fall over. While they remain totally conscious, and their muscles quickly return back to normal, people should avoid purposely frightening goats.
3) “Did goats discover coffee? Legend goes that coffee was discovered after a goat herder in Ethiopia noticed that his goats became energized and wouldn’t sleep at night after they were spotted eating berries from a particular tree. After sharing his discovery, drinks began to be made with these mysterious berries, and the knowledge of these energizing beans spread across the world,” the web page states.
Check back tomorrow for more.
Photo by Peter Neumann on Unsplash
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