Call for more goat keepers to boost rare breed

Islanders are being encouraged to "pull out all the stops" to help protect a rare goat breed.

A plan was agreed during the first Royal Golden Guernsey Goat Symposium held at Government House with the aim of improving breeding numbers in the island.

Guernsey Goat Society president Peter Girard said the best way of protecting the breed, which was given royal status by King Charles III, was for people to become goat keepers to help encourage breeding.

"It's the island's goat and we're just hoping that islanders will pull out all the stops and the British bulldog spirit comes out and wins through," he said.

The States of Guernsey said the breed, which is celebrated for its rich milk and role in land conservation, could be "seriously threatened" in the island within 12 months if swift action is not taken.

Mr Girard said: "We really need landowners or people who are able to purchase goats to do so and hopefully they'll breed more goats.

"The whole island has to get round it.

"If you have land but don't want to keep goats, then maybe you could let someone else keep goats as we really need more goat keepers."

Mr Girard said the goats might have to be imported from the UK if they cannot be bred locally.

He said: "We don't want to turn round to the King and say 'we couldn't really be bothered to keep the goat going after you gave it a royal title' - that would be terribly embarrassing."

Follow BBC Guernsey on X, external and Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk, external.