Beardsley Zoo Welcomes Two New Kids
May 06, 2013
On April 22nd, after a five month gestation, Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo's female Nigerian Dwarf Goat Cupcake gave birth to two female kids. The birth came less than two months shy of their father Rodney's first birthday in June. The zoo is reporting that the young, who have yet to be named, are healthy and happy as they explore the zoo's goat yard. "Mom and kids are doing quite well and are a favorite with visitors already," said zoo director Gregg Dancho. "Cupcake is very protective of them and likes to hide them in the exhibit, so visitors may have to look hard to see them," he continued.
Photo credits: Shannon Calvert taken at Beardsley Zoo
The offspring will continue to nurse from their mother for the next few months, though they will begin to nibble on their adult diet of hay and grains in the next week or so. Visitors to the zoo will be excited to hear that the zoo's goat yard is expecting another special delivery; Cupcake's sister Peaches is expecting kids as well.
Nigerian Dwarf Goat's are miniature dairy goats that grow to be around 75 pounds and less than two feet tall. They posses a range of coat colors including black, brown and white, and can have various patterns of these colors. Young males are fully fertile at just seven weeks of age, while females are able to be bred at eight months.