Lovers of sunshine and attention: Meet the dairy goats at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – Colorado Springs Gazette

Cotija is perched on a walkway high above the Goat Playground at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, waiting patiently at the wheel of treats.

The dairy goat sticks her head through the railing to look down at Bailey Jones, the zoos domestic goat lead keeper, whos standing on the ground getting ready to pour a handful of hay pellets into a cup. Cotija will then use her front hoof to pedal a bicycle wheel to work a pulley system that pulls the cup up to her mouth, where she knows the exact spot to stop the cup so the treats slide perfectly into her mouth.

Colby, the queen of the goat yard, is no dummy. If she stands beneath Cotija, she knows shes likely to be showered in whatever pellets dont make it into her buddys mouth.

Theyre fast learners, said Jones, whos also lead keeper for Australia Walkabout and Scutes Family Gallery, where she cares for superslow sloths who are decidedly not fast learners. They learn in two to three sessions. I love to train them. Theyre super food-motivated.

Bailey Jones, the zoos domestic goat lead keeper, puts a cup of hay pellets at the base of the wheel platform for Cotija, the dairy goat, to pedal a bicycle wheel with her front hoof that works as a pully system to pull the cup up to her mouth at the Goat Playground at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. The eight female dairy goats came to live at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo from a diary farm in 2016. The ladies are nicknamed the The Cheese Girls because they are all named after different types of cheese, Ricotta, Asiago, Muenster, Colby, Queso, Mozzarella, Cotija and Brie.

What the heck are domestic goats doing at a zoo?

The eight ladies Ricotta, Asiago, Muenster, Colby, Queso, Mozzarella, Cotija and Brie are nicknamed The Cheese Girls, because theyre dairy goats who would normally make goat milk and cheese. The 5-year-olds, who arent related, came to the zoo from a Colorado dairy farm in 2016 to provide an interactive experience for zoo guests. People are welcome to pop into their yard and brush and feed the 120- to 160-pound creatures, as long as an attendant is present. Its a popular exhibit for the smaller folks in the crowd, and usually open on weekends and whenever its above 40 degrees.

Will the zoo be selling cheese anytime soon?

No. Much like dairy cows that produce milk when theyre brewing babies, these girls only make milk when babies are in the picture. And because the zoo said no thanks to boy goats, the ladies will remain childfree.

Junior zookeeper Jacqueline Kerrigan, 15, hangs out with Mozzarella, one of The Cheese Girls at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

A recipe for goat happiness

These sturdy creatures are simple. They want to hang with their human friends, get brushed or scratched, relax in the sunshine and chew their cud. The rich mahogany-colored Queso is Jones favorite, due to the way she happily hums when shes found a particularly sunny spot to lie in. And when somebody happens to brush her while shes sunbathing, all the better. Her head tips back and she opens her mouth in a goat smile, flashing her pearly whites. Ricotta also is a zoo keeper and visitor favorite. She loves nothing more than to follow people around in the hopes of being loved on.

They remind me of a house cat and how they follow the sunbeams around the yard, Jones said.

No Michelin-star meals needed

The girls mostly eat grass hay and a bit of produce, such as apples, carrots and romaine lettuce. Hay pellets are a special treat, as well as plain air-popped popcorn. And when a keeper drags out an old firehose dosed in blue raspberry Gatorade powder, watch out. Thats a little slice of goat heaven. And their blue tongues afterward make them even more adorable.

And let us not forget about tree boughs. When the boughs coordinator walks by, carrying their precious parcel, the goats yell at him to fork over the goods: Theyre like heeeeey, Jones said.

Queso the dairy goat hums in the sun at the Goat Playground at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs.

Why the obsession with climbing and standing on stuff?

Theyre made for it. On the bottom of their hooves is a soft pad that molds to whatever surface theyre on. Thats why they can stand on super-small surfaces and be totally comfortable. Their vision also helps. They have mesmerizing rectangle-shaped pupils that take in light differently and give them wider peripheral vision. They can see to their back feet, which also helps them climb, as well as keep a lookout for predators.

Contact the writer: jen.mulson@gazette.com

London Bockenstedt checks out Mozzarellas ears at The Goat Playground at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. The eight female dairy goats came to live at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo from a diary farm in 2016. The ladies are nicknamed the The Cheese Girls because they are all named after different types of cheese, Ricotta, Asiago, Muenster, Colby, Queso, Mozzarella, Cotija and Brie.

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Lovers of sunshine and attention: Meet the dairy goats at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Colorado Springs Gazette