He has been a part of the Children’s Zoo since August of 2001.  He grew up here.  He has been a favorite of both staff and guests.  He is Big Al.

Big Al – Photo by Henry Siwek

With our regular guests, all you have to say is that name.  Big Al. It always brings a smile to their faces.

When Al came to the Houston Zoo, he was part of a group of 5 Nubian goats.  Nubians are large goats usually raised for dairy.  They were only 6 months old and Al weighed in at just 24 kilograms (about 53 pounds).  As he grew and thrived, he became a very impressive and handsome goat, reaching over 90 kilograms (about 198 pounds).

In the early years, all 5 of the Nubians  gained a reputation for being rather mischievious.  They were pushy at mealtimes and big enough to reach over your shoulder for the food bucket.  More than once they left hoof marks on a keeper’s back.  Once they even pushed a gate open so hard it hit one of the keepers and gave her a black eye!   Their mischief making came to an end when 3 of the 5 were sent to live on a farm (the last straw being that they had learned how to open the gate and let themselves out).

Over the years, the last 2 Nubian goats grew out of their trouble making ways and became favorites of both staff and guests.   Several years ago, Sampson, the other remaining Nubian, died from age related complications –  leaving only Big Al

Al adjusted quite well to being the only Nubian goat in the yard.  He learned how to win hearts and gain attention.  He could make a face that could only be described as the goat version of puppy dog eyes to get people to pet him and get  the occasional stolen treat.   If you scratched just the right spot on his hips, he would throw his head back letting those long ears flop.  If you scratched his chin, he would often nuzzle against you and push his head under your chin.  Where you  once heard something like “that goat makes me crazy”,  you now heard “I love that goat – he is so sweet”.

As he got older he did develop some issues with his hooves along with old age issues such as arthritis.  He managed to hold his own day by day until recently when tests revealed a mass on his heart.

While we will mourn Al’s passing, we also hold on to many fond memories of his playful youth, his affectionate nature and the wonderful zoo ambassador he became.

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