Did you know that at the Lake District Wildlife Park we have 87 different species and more than 320 individual animals?

That is quite a lot of mouths to feed, water buckets to fill and enclosures to muck out!

The different types of animals that make up these numbers include exotic mammals, birds, and reptiles, that are found in the wild all over the world. However, a small proportion our animals are domestic livestock, some are native to the UK and some are very special breeds.

Our Bagot Goats are one of these breeds as they are listed on the Rare Breed Survival Trust watchlist. This means our herd plays an important part in their future conservation. They are thought to be the oldest breed in the UK. Their name originates from Sir John Bagot, who is thought to have kept the first herd of this hardy animal.

Bagots, like most goats, are cheeky, fun, and mischievous. They are real characters and there are many stories about goats jumping fences, going into houses, and eating clothes off the washing line. Our goats are friendly and inquisitive.

They come up to the fence to say hello, nuzzle your hand or nibble your coat. They are one of the animals that can be hand fed at the park, which is one of the bast ways to get close to our animals.

Our oldest female is 16 years old and she is a true matriarch. She keeps the rest of the herd in check and is always the first to be fed before the younger ones. A recent addition to the herd is a male, Billy Dean and he is very friendly. He is the most vocal of the bunch and can be heard from afar.

Even more recent additions are our five young kids. Born at the start of April, they are only a month old and are full of energy. They can be seen bouncing around, chasing each other, jumping on each other, and generally having a good time. And then when it all gets at bit too much, they have a lie down and snooze in the sun!

Our Bagot Goats are found near to our Herdwick Sheep, Alpacas, Pygmy Goats, Pigs and Donkeys. They are the group of our domestic animals that can be hand fed, which is a great way to get close to and interact with our animals.

So, if you need cheering up or want to relax for a few hours, we can highly recommend spending time with our domestic livestock. Do come and see us and we can tell you all about them!