Beardsley Zoo Welcomes Triplets

Three new kids were born Christmas week, but not the human kind.

The Beardsley Zoo announced the birth of three miniature goat kids, bringing the zoo's baby goats to five Nigerian dwarf kids.

The babies are Nigerian Dwarf goat triplets - two males and one female. Their mother, "Cupcake," is two years old and their father, "Rodney," is a year and a half old.

"The baby goats, known as "kids," are all healthy and happy. They join two additional kids, a male and a female born in early November. All five kids will be on exhibit through Spring 2014, at which time they will be transferred to their new home at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, R.I.," according to the zoo.

"What better present could we get?" asked Gregg Dancho, zoo director. "Visitors coming over the holidays will enjoy seeing five kids playing and jumping around together in the farmyard," Dancho shared. 

Cupcakes' kids eat hay and grains and will spend the next few months nursing. The kids are not named as of yet. Rodney is the father of all five kids.

Visitors may remember that Cupcake and Peaches both gave birth to twins this past spring. Rodney was the father of those four goats, as well. All four were transferred to Louisville Zoo in Louisville, Ky., in August.

About Nigerian Dwarf goats

According to the zoo, Nigerian Dwarf goats are miniature dairy goats. The milk produced by these goats has higher butterfat content than their larger counterparts and tastes much sweeter. A doe (a grown female) can produce up to two quarts of sweet milk a day.

Most females will grow to around 18 inches, while males can reach 23 inches. They weigh just around 75 pounds when fully grown and can be a full spectrum of colors, from black, brown, and white to spotted or striped.

The zoo is open 362 days a year from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission (ages 12 & older) is $12, children (ages 3 -11) and senior admission (62 and older) is $10, and children under 3 years old are free. Zoo members also are admitted free. Parking at the Zoo is free of charge.

The zoo will close early on New Year's Eve. On December 31, the last visitor will be admitted at Noon and the doors will close at 1 p.m.

For more information visit www.beardsleyzoo.org.