Rare breed of goat born at Miller Park Zoo

Posted on May 6, 2021
The baby goat can be seen on exhibit in the Children’s Zoo area. (Photo courtesy Miller Park Zoo)

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – The Miller Park Zoo welcomed a new animal last month – a male San Clemente goat.

“Storm” gave birth on April 15 and this was her third litter at the zoo.

“We were the first zoo in Illinois to have them and the first zoo to breed them,” MPZ Director Jay Tetzloff told WJBC’s Scott Miller. “We don’t have a name for him just yet. We will probably develop that over the next couple of weeks.”

The goats are native to San Clemente Island, one of the Channel Islands off the coast of California. The goats are listed as a critically rare heritage breed. The global population of San Clemente Island Goats is around 700.

Only a small number of zoos exhibit San Clemente Island goats. The breed is relatively small, but larger than dwarf breeds. They are typically red or tan with black markings.

The baby goat can be seen on exhibit in the Children’s Zoo area.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

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