International Arapawa Goat Association

Arapawa Goat News

By Marilyn Burbank, March 2008

Marilyn (right) with Betty Rowe on Arapawa Island

NEWS – Lots and lots of news regarding the Arapawa Goats this last six months.... good news, scary news, and amazing news.

In September of 07, we finally received the results of the DNA testing project that had been ongoing for a year. Our highly adapted Arapawa goats have proven to be a unique breed unto themselves without Spanish heritage – see Arapawa DNA. So now that we know what they aren't, the next step is to find out what they are. Along that line, DNA samples have been collected from some of the North Atlantic breeds for comparison to the Arapawa. It has been Betty Rowe's contention all along that the Arapawas are linked to the Old English Goat, and comparing them to the Golden Guernsey, the Damascus Goat, and other North Atlantic heritage breeds may finally once and for all prove that she's right. In the meantime, all of us, from more than four different countries, have enjoyed, immensely, our expanding horizons of knowledge by participating in this project. So now we wait, in anticipation, for news of this stage of the research. It truly is comparable to a treasure hunt, not only for the Arapawa folks, but also for those that have donated DNA samples from the various breeds. Who knows what surprises will pop up?????

In December 07, we conducted a worldwide census of the Arapawas. Counted were animals on farms and in the Arapawa Wildlife Sanctuary. Those outside the Sanctuary on the Island were not included. New Zealand had, at that time, a population of 163, the United States, 124, and Great Britain 20, for a global count of 307 animals. The results of this census are alarming! These small populations are so scattered that viable healthy breeding is threatened. The United States has artificially inseminated using different techniques with semen imported from New Zealand for the last four years. To date, with no success. This fact is quite significant because the whole US population is derived from just six animals, three does and three bucks. Great Britain's population comes from two bucks and four does. So those of us out of New Zealand have a very high chance of inbreeding deficiencies. The veterinarians that have been working with my goats feel that our lack of AI success could very well be tied to inbreeding. We, absolutely, need the genetics from the New Zealand goats to keep our populations viable. And to keep the New Zealand farm populations viable, the goats outside the Sanctuary on the Island must be conserved as a genetic resource.

Two very good creations have come to be as a direct result of the DNA research project and the census. Those of us who communicated globally regarding samples and counts decided that we would like to stay in contact and have, therefore, established the International Arapawa Goat Association. We have representation from each country that has Arapawa goats and I think I can safely say that our primary goal is conservation of this unique and colourful breed. We have also established this website, www.arapawagoats.com, which we hope to keep updated with news and information about the Arapawa goats.

Also in December, 07, as we were conducting our counts, Betty Rowe informed our Arapawa goat community that DoC has issued a Directive for a cull of the goats on the Island which was to commence January 7, 2008. The cull that had been put off since August was now on again. The word went out!!!! The response has been amazing and overwhelming with support for the goats from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust of Great Britain, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, the European Livestock Association, the New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association, Inc., Rare Breeds International, New Zealand SPCA and numerous private individuals. A petition was circulated and gathered over 1200 signatures from around the world. MP Gordon Copeland has come forward in defence of the goats and, at the time of this writing, has requested that Minister Chadwick, DoC, meet with him to discuss a "win-win" solution. There must be a way that the native flora and fauna as well as the goats can all be saved. Each is just as important in its own right as the other. So let's hope that these officials will bring open minds and flexibility to this important meeting and that a rightful solution will be found and implemented.

Mary Critchley of Warmwell, Great Britain, has kept a chronological journal regarding the proposed cull of the Arapawas posted on her Warmwell website. She has done a wonderful job of keeping all up to date. It does make interesting reading.

So, let's hope that the final bit of news will be of a positive sort and that all can, then, settle in peace.

A selection of documents about the New Zealand Department of Conservation's goat cull operation can be seen at Arapawa Goat Cull.