Bilberry goat facts for kids

Bilberry goat at rest in the winter morning sun.

A Bilberry goat forages around in the morning

The Bilberry goat (Irish: Fiaghabhar na bhFraochán) is a special kind of feral goat. This means it's a wild goat that used to be a pet or farm animal. These goats are believed to have lived in one herd for hundreds of years. Their home is on Bilberry Rock in Waterford City, which is in the south of Ireland.

Unlike other goats in Ireland, the Bilberry herd might be related to goats like Pashmina, Maltese, or Cashmere goats. Local people think they came from France with a group called the Huguenots over 300 years ago. They have lived on Bilberry Rock ever since.

Bilberry goats are large animals. They have shaggy (long and messy) coats and very big horns. Experts who study wild goats have said they were "amazed to see a primitive herd still living in the wild." They also called the goats a "unique ancient breed."

A Close Call: Saving the Bilberry Goats

These amazing goats were once very close to disappearing forever. In the year 2000, there were only 7 of them left! By 2005, their numbers had slowly grown to 21.

To help protect them, a group of volunteers started the Bilberry Goat Heritage Trust in 2000. Thanks to their hard work, the goat population has continued to grow. By 2008, there were 42 Bilberry goats. The herd is usually led by a strong female goat called a dominant nanny.

Protecting Their Home

Example of 2009 housing development near the goats' home

The goats overlook the main roads and the Suir river

The Bilberry Goat Trust was created to save these goats from disappearing. The goats live and eat on a piece of land about 14 acres (5.7 ha) big. This land used to be a "commonage," which means it was land that everyone could use.

However, this land was sold to a company that wanted to build houses there. If houses were built on all the land, the Bilberry goats would lose their home and might not survive. People spoke out and asked for help, which brought a lot of attention to the goats.

The local authorities decided to make the goats' area a bit smaller, to 12.5 acres (5.1 ha). But at least they still have a home. The Irish Wildlife Trust is also helping with the effort to protect these special goats.

It's important to know that wild goats are not a "protected species" in Ireland. Also, Bilberry Rock is not a special "Natural Heritage Area" under the law. This means groups like the Bilberry Goat Trust have to work extra hard to keep these unique animals safe.