2nd this year

Rare goat at Miller Park Zoo gives birth

San Clemente Island goat has kid

[March 28, 2013]  BLOOMINGTON -- A rare breed of goat at Miller Park Zoo is the latest animal to give birth at the facility. Valencia, one of the zoo's San Clemente goats, has given birth to a kid.

The goats are native to San Clemente Island, one of the Channel Islands off the coast of California, and are listed as a critically endangered heritage breed. The global population of San Clemente Island goats is under 500.

Miller Park Zoo is home to five adult San Clemente Island goats: females Bella, Valencia, Becca and Breeze and one male, Poseidon. Each of the adults is 1 to 3 years old.

The new goat kid is a male and can be seen on exhibit in the Children's Zoo. Zoo staff named him Hurricane.

The captive birth of this rare goat breed is the second this spring and the third consecutive year kids were born at the zoo. Breeze also gave birth to a male, Typhoon, on March 8.

Miller Park Zoo was the first to ever have a San Clemente Island goat born in the state of Illinois. Only a small number of zoos exhibit San Clemente Island goats, and Miller Park Zoo is the only accredited facility in the state to exhibit this breed.

The animals' characteristics include a smaller size. The breed is relatively small but larger than dwarf goat breeds. They are typically red or tan with black markings.

[Text from Miller Park Zoo news release received from Bloomington Parks & Recreation]