Capra hircus
domestic goat

Domestic goats, Capra hircus, most likely descended from C. aegagrus which is from Central Asia. Since the domestication of this species, goats have been spread all over the world by humans. C. hircus requires grass for grazing, but can survive on very thin deposits of grass. Therefore, the only areas C. hircus cannot inhabit are tundras, deserts, and aquatic habitats. There are some feral groups on Hawaii and on other islands. ("Capra hircus", 1983; "Goat", 2004)

C. hircus is a domesticated animal and has been raised in almost all habitats. Goats do require grass for grazing, but can thrive in areas of thin growth that would not support other grazers such as sheep or cows. Also, C. hircus can be kept in dry lots as long as they are constantly fed by humans. Some sort of clean and ventilated shelter is necessary, but it does not have to be extravagant. For sleeping, C. hircus prefers a bedded area of at least 15 feet. Goats require exercise; optimally a goat should have at least 25 square feet per animal for this. Due to a well-developed herding instinct, C. hircus prefers to be in groups of 2 or more. As a domesticated species, C. hircus is very susceptible to predation. Therefore, it is best situated in a fenced in area. Feral groups are found usually in rugged mountain country, rocky crags, and alpine meadows. ("Capra hircus", 1983; "Did you know?", 2004; "Goat", 2004)

Because of its long history of domestication, there are many different breeds of C. hircus. Different breeds can have many different attributes. Typically, adults weigh 45 kg and be 64 cm tall. C. hircus is 1150 to 1700 mm in length. However, weight can vary between 9 and 113 kg and height can vary between 26 and 107 cm in different breeds. ("Capra hircus", 1983; "Did you know?", 2004; "Goat", 2004; Haenlein, 1992)

C. hircus is sexually dimorphic. Males have a beard, horns, a rank odor, and are generally larger than the females. The odor stems from sex glands. The horns are hollow, and grow either scimitar or corkscrew. The hair is generally straight, however some breeds have a wool undercoat. Coat color varies, and can be black, white, red, and brown. Color patterns include solid color, spotted, striped, blended shades, and facial stripes. The nose can be either straight or convex. European breeds have erect ears and Indian breeds do not. The LaMancha breed has no external ear. The tail is short and curved upward. ("Capra hircus", 1983; "Did you know?", 2004; "Goat", 2004; Haenlein, 1992)

The average heart rate for C. hircus is 83 beats per minute, and the body temperature is 103.6 degrees F. C. hircus is born with 6 lower incisors and by 4 weeks old have a full set of milk teeth consisting of the 6 lower incisors and 24 molars. The upper jaw does not develop milk teeth, rather it has bony plates to articulate with the lower teeth. ("Capra hircus", 1983; "Did you know?", 2004; "Goat", 2004; Haenlein, 1992)

C. hircus typically lives to be 15 years old in captivity. An individual has lived to be 22 years old. Humans control the lifespan of a C. hircus generally, however predation still occurs under human control. In the wild, predation and parasites are the major factors affecting longevity. ("Capra hircus", 1983)

C. hircus is a social animal and prefers to be in the presence of at least one other goat. The size of captive herds is controlled by humans. Herd sizes in the wild tend to be 5 to 20 members, but can be as high as 100. The herds can contain only males, only females and young, or a mix of both. Goats are diurnal, and spend most of the day grazing. Because they live under human control, most goats can be described as sedentary. There is a rank structure in the herds. The males butt heads for hierarchy status. ("Capra hircus", 1983; "Did you know?", 2004)

Home Range

There is no known home range size for these animals. Because their living arrangements are most often controlled by humans, it is difficult to estimate how much space they would occupy without human control.

C. hircus uses the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch to experience the world. To communicate with each other sight, smell, and hearing are primarily used, although touch is important when males are butting heads to determine dominance status. During the mating season the males emit pheromones. Due to domestication, C. hircus has learned to interact with other species such as humans and dogs. Vocal and visual signals from humans and dogs can control where and when members of C. hircus walk, eat, and reproduce. ("Did you know?", 2004)

C. hircus is a ruminant and eats grasses and shrubs. Goats can choose what grasses they will eat and generally avoid grass covered in feces. In captivity they eat roughage all year round. When the season is warm they can graze, but during the winter they are fed by humans. Farmers feed males and females different quantities and different types of foods on farms. ("Did you know?", 2004; "Farm Animals", 1981; "Goat", 2004)

The main predators of C. hircus are coyotes, dogs, mountain lions, foxes, eagles, and bobcats. Humans provide the most protection by keeping them in fences; however even that is not impenetrable. The main defense from predation which C. hircus has is living in herds. Some related species use their horns for protection from predators, but most goats just tend to run from predators. C. hircus is usually preyed upon during the night. ("Capra hircus", 1983; Haenlein, 1992; Vaughan, Ryan, and Nicholas, 2000)

Because they are a domestic species, these animals have no real ecosystem role, besides providing humans with food and other products related to their slaughter. C. hircus can be detrimental to natural ecosystems. When it overgrazes it can cause erosion, spread of deserts, and the disappearance of natural wildlife. This was documented in New Zealand and scientists believe grazing by goats is preventing revegetation. A feral population of C. hircus led to the extinction of forest birds in Hawaii. They are most damaging to related species due to competion for shared resources. ("Capra hircus", 1983; Vaughan, Ryan, and Nicholas, 2000)

C. hircus can be quite detrimental to the environment and therefore be a problem to humans. Feral groups of C. hircus have caused erosion and ruined the quaility of soil by overgrazing. ("Capra hircus", 1983)

C. hircus is regularly farmed for milk, wool, cheese, meat, and leather. The milk is actually more digestible by humans than cow milk. More people worldwide use goats for dairy and meat than use cows. Many people also keep them as pets and show them in competitions. ("Did you know?", 2004; "Goat", 2004; National 4-H Council, 2000)

C. hircus is quite abundant and under no special conservation status.