San Clemente Island goats

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San Clemente Island goats first arrived on San Clemente Island from Santa Catalina Island in 1875. There they remained feral until the United States Navy, which was under a directive to preserve the endangered flora and fauna of the island that were threatened by the grazing of nonendemic species[1], sought their removal. After initial trapping and hunting failed to eliminate the goats, the Navy began a shooting program to exterminate them. This was blocked in court by the Fund for Animals[2], who asserted that the goats did not hurt any endangered species and thought the Navy was using this claim as an excuse[3]. Goats were adopted out on the mainland by the Clapp family and by the Fund for Animals[4]. The U.S. Navy was given the right to exterminate the remaining goats, and the last goat on San Clemente Island was exterminated in April 1991[5].

San Clemente Island goats are small, fine-boned, and deer-like, and although they look Spanish, their DNA does not link them to any breed of Iberian origin [6]. They are listed as a critically-endangered heritage breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. In 2007 their global population was just under 300. They live on the mainland U.S.A. and in western Canada[7].

[edit] References

  • Journal of Mammology, Nov. 1975, vol. 56, no. 4, pp 925-928, by Johnson, Donald Lee, Department of Geography, University of Illinois, Urbana.
  1. ^ Draft Environmental Statement" Feral Animal Removal Program, San Clemente Island, California, Chambers Consultants and Planners, 1980
  2. ^ Newspaper article by Yvonne Baskin, Staff Writer, San Diego Union, July 2, 1980, p. A-1
  3. ^ Assault on the Goats of San Clemente Island Leads to The Fund's Second Largest Rescue | The Fund for Animals
  4. ^ Newspaper article by Yvonne Baskin, Staff Writer, San Diego Union, July 2, 1980, p. A-1
  5. ^ "Use of the Judas Goat Technique to Eradicate the Remnant Feral Goat Population on San Clemente Island, California", Dawn R'Lene Seward, M.S. Thesis for Wildlife Science under Dr. Bruce Coblentz, University of Oregon. Also verified by personal communication with Dawn Seward, Feb 7, 2007
  6. ^ Summary of Findings of the DNA Analysis of Several American Breeds, Dr. Phil Sponenberg, 2007
  7. ^ San Clemente Island Goat Association

[edit] External links

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