Survival plan agreed for Guernsey goats

Utilising the species to help restore the island's natural habitats is key to the breed's survival, experts agreed

Experts have agreed a plan to prevent the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat from vanishing from its home island.

Conservationists, farmers and international breed societies at the first-ever Royal Golden Guernsey Goat Symposium at Government House agreed survival of the native breed, which numbers about 200 in Guernsey, depended on immediate, co-ordinated action.

It depends on utilising the breed to help restore the island's natural habitats, boosting its value to farming and the environment, they decided.

The breed, granted royal status by King Charles III in July 2024, is celebrated for its rich milk and role in land conservation.

King Charles III saw the goats during his visit to Guernsey in 2024

Christopher Price, chief executive of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, said: "The symposium highlighted an exciting new potential: the role the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat could play in restoring the island's natural habitats, further cementing its value to both agriculture and the environment."

Lieutenant-Governor Sir Richard Cripwell said: "The symposium has brought together the expertise, energy and shared purpose needed to give the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat a secure future.

"What happens next depends on our collective will to turn plans into action. We all have a part to play if this distinctive golden breed is not only to survive, but also to thrive on the island.

"The message from the symposium was clear and unanimous: the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat is a strong brand that could make a valuable contribution to Guernsey's economy, environment and cultural heritage, so long as there is coordinated action across the community," he added.

Despite limited numbers in Guernsey, there is a thriving populations in the UK and USA.