On the 25th and 26th of September, zoo staff visited farmers at Heydalsá in Strandir and Háafell in Hvítársíða. The reason for this trip was to pick up new sheep and goats for the zoo.
The first stop was at Háafell, where goats have been bred since 1989. Jóhanna B. Þorvaldsdóttir and Þorbjörn Oddsson cared for a mixed species farm until 2005, thereafter they only kept and bred goats. The farmers at Háafell have put a lot of work into developing and advertising goat produce as well as the use of all materials. The Icelandic goat population has been endangered for many years and is in need of protection. When it comes to breeding, farmers have emphasized on bringing diversity into the stock. The public’s interest in goat produce has increased in recent years as it is of high quality and has many health benefits. In 2012 the Goatfarm at Háafell opened, where guests can visit their goats, learn about them and the produce they make. Those who are interested to learn more about Háafell can visit their website at www.geitur.is.
Three beautiful female kids came back to the zoo from Háafell and they have been welcomed into our small herd. Jóhanna had already named two of them and they will keep those names, Ársól is of the color “golsuflekkótt” and Hulda is “gráflekkótt”. Lastly, Kristín is of the rare color “antilópubaugótt, the color does not have a formal Icelandic name yet and has previously been dormant for many years.
The next day a trip was taken to Strandir, where the farmers Ragnar Kristinn Bragason and Sigríður Guðbjörg Jónsdóttir at Heydalsá welcomed our staff members. They own a large and impressive sheep farm. They have many sheep that are diverse in color and the cleanliness of the barn was exemplary. Staff chose three young ewes at Heydalsá farm. A black one named Surtla, a white one named Mjöll and rust brown one with a white marking on her head (mórauð krúnótt) named Krúna. They have also been welcomed into our small herd here at the zoo.
Our sheep and goats will be outside during most of the day as long as weather conditions are still good and enough grass is available for them to graze.
