The two remaining goats, which had been living in the city park, have now been relocated to the wildlife park in Gonsenheim. Goats are herd animals and only feel comfortable when living together with other goats. At the wildlife park, the two Thuringian Forest goats can express their strong social behavior in a large group of eleven animals, in a way that is appropriate for their species. In any case, the goats would have had to be relocated to the wildlife park for animal welfare reasons due to major construction projects near their enclosure in the city park, which are expected to begin in the fall of 2026.

The Thuringian Forest goats can be distinguished from the other goat breeds in the wildlife park by the absence of a “dorsal stripe”—the fur coloring along the spine. The breed is one of Germany’s ancient domestic breeds and is also listed on the Red List of Threatened Livestock Breeds. This breed has been part of the Wildlife Park’s animal population since 2011, and several offspring have already been raised in the park. Further information on this topic can be found on the information signs in the park.

At this point, we would like to reiterate the advice from the Parks and Environment Department: Please feed the animals only with the food provided in the feed dispensers! Other food is unsuitable, harms the animals, can lead to colic, and can even be fatal. The nutritional components and portion sizes of the feed packets are tailored to the animals’ needs.