Arapawa goat facts for kids
The Arapawa goat is one of the rarest goat breeds in the world. These special goats live on Arapaoa Island in New Zealand. Experts believe they are very close to disappearing forever.
Arapawa goats are small and can be used for both meat and milk. They were found living by themselves on Arapawa Island, which is part of the Marlborough Sounds. Many people think these goats are direct descendants of an old English goat breed that no longer exists.
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History of the Arapawa Goats
The story of the Arapawa goats began a long time ago. In 1773, the famous explorer Captain Cook brought two goats to Arapawa Island. He released them in a place called East Bay. A few years later, in 1777, he gave another pair of goats to a Māori chief in nearby Ship Cove.
These goats quickly grew in number. By 1839, a visitor to the island wrote in his diary that the whaling settlement on Arapawa Island was "swarming" with goats. This shows how well they adapted to their new home.
Saving the Arapawa Goats
For almost 200 years, the Arapawa goats lived peacefully on the island. Their biggest threat was only the occasional hunter. However, in the 1970s, the goats faced a new and serious danger: they were almost completely removed from the island.
The New Zealand Government's Forest Service wanted to get rid of the goats. Their main goal was to protect the native plants and animals on Arapawa Island. They saw the goats as a threat to the island's natural environment.
Betty Rowe's Dedication
Luckily, a dedicated resident of Arapawa Island named Betty Rowe stepped in. She worked hard to save the Arapawa goat breed from being completely culled, or removed. Thanks to her efforts, these special goats survived.
Even today, the New Zealand Department of Conservation continues to cull some goats each year. This is still done to protect the island's native wildlife. However, many Arapawa goats now live safely in a special sanctuary set up on the island.
Current Status of the Breed
The Arapawa goat breed is still very rare. In January 2018, the BBC's Countryfile TV show reported that there might be as few as 150 of these goats left in the entire world.
However, there is hope for the breed. In 2014, six Arapawa goats were flown from New Zealand to the United Kingdom. Since then, new herds of these goats are being started in different parts of the UK. This helps to ensure the survival of this unique and rare breed.
