MILWAUKEE — Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted six more weeks of winter, but the Milwaukee County Zoo‘s Nigerian dwarf goats say an early spring is on the way.
The Zoo’s entire heard of 72 goats did not see their shadows on February 2, as interpreted by the Zoo’s assistant zookeeper for the Family Farm Bridget Carpenter and Executive Director Amos Morris.
The Nigerian dwarf goats live at the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm Goat Yard, ranging in age from 2-11 years old with 50 of them born at the zoo. The goats are native to West Africa and are known for their small stature.
In 2024, the Zoo’s Humboldt penguins made the same prediction of an early Spring. Kimberly Graves, communications coordinator for the Zoo, said that this year, the penguins are currently nesting and still getting acclimated to their recently renovated Penguins of the Pacific Habitat, which opened in December 2024.
Alternative animals have been used since the Zoo’s groundhog Gordy passed away in 2023. Graves says the Zoo hopes to acquire a new groundhog soon, but will use the penguins again next year if they need to.
