Funky Cologne
Think of the most disgusting smell you’ve ever whiffed. Now multiply that smell times infinity. That is the smell of the male goat, which is awful if your math is correct. Mostly produced by scent glands near the horns, those noxious fumes captivate the lady goats. If that doesn’t bring the girls around, male goats will also pee on themselves to get the ladies’ attention. This is why no one ever wants to share a bus seat with a goat.
When you look, you see. You might want to hold your nose, though.
Goats like Ram are domestic animals, which means they are bred to live around humans. And that means you have a great chance to see a goat up close and personal.
If you live somewhere rural or where farms are close by, you’ll often find goats on the farm. If you live closer to the city where there aren’t too many farms, don’t fret! There are many parks, zoos, and even educational farms you might be able to visit with your grown-ups or maybe a school group.
For example, around Copper’s hometown of Charleston, you can visit goats at an educational farm called Jeremiah Farm & Goat Dairy or the Animal Forest exhibit at Charles Towne Landing state park. Goats even have their own island in nearby Murrells Inlet, which is just south of the popular tourist destination, Myrtle Beach. The goats are transported out to the island each year to help control vegetation, which is something you can read about in Copper’s Distract Fact on goatscaping.
There are parks, zoos, and educational facilities throughout the world where you get to see goats. There is even a farm in Maryland that is part of the National Park Service system called Oxon Cove Park & Oxen Hill Farm, complete with a goat shed where you can visit goats and sheep! These are just a few examples to give you an idea of what to search for near your hometown.
One final note. When you get a chance to see a goat in person, if it has horns and/or a beard, that doesn’t mean it is a male. Female goats can also have horns and a beard, so you might just have to trust your nose on this one.
These links don't stink!
Even though some of them can be a little rank, goats are still awesome. They are smart, social, and helpful to humans in many different ways. The resources below share just a few of the greatest of all things about goats!
Kids, remember to ask a parent, teacher, or librarian for help whenever you are looking for books or using the Internet. I always try to make sure to share kid-friendly books and resources, but websites are changing all the time, so always check with an adult first.
- The awesome team from It’s Okay to Be Smart has a fun video to entertain you about all things goat. Check it out on the PBS LearningMedia site: https://scetv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/goats-its-okay-to-be-smart/goats-its-okay-to-be-smart/
- The Smithsonian’s National Zoo has this fantastic article about goats, loaded with fun facts and details about goats. The National Zoo is also another place where you can see goats. by visiting the Kids’ Farm exhibit. Here is a link to info about the Kids’ Farm Exhibit which also has a short video you can watch, complete with goats! https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/exhibits/kids-farm
- Oklahoma State University has a large list of the different breeds of goats which also provides links to an information page for each breed and you can example pictures of many of them. Check it out here: http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/goats/