I have recieved this request. Email to me and the list and I
shall pass the info on. Its seem unlikely that this is a
relic population - however any suggestions gratefully
recieved. I have vague memories of a number of feral goat
herds....
'Goat bones required.
I have had a letter from an organisation called 'Friends of
the goats' - Lynton Feral Goat Preservation Society. This
manages the wild goats in the valley of the rocks at Lynton
in Devon, UK. It is thought, apparently that these are the
"last survivors of the original goats of this country " <HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS>"
probably much the same as those of the Bronze Age". They
are setting up a project to investigate this by comparing
DNA from hair samples of the feral goats with that of a
"300 year old plus goat bone". [I am not sure
if this should have read 3000 year old]. The study is to be
done by London Zoo. Only 1 sample is mentioned, but
presumably more than that would be required, not least
because of the problem of DNA survival.
What is needed is a (or preferably several) goat bones of
prehistoric date. I'll check up on the '300 years'
mentioned in the letter in case that is a modern cut-off. I
know that without whole skeletons or skulls, identification
is difficult.
Please could you advise me
A) whether it would be possible to get hold of some
definitely identified goat bones from the British Isles -
suggest sites where they have been identified.
B) who to contact to get hold of the material;
C) whether you know of any similar projects, or people who
would be good contacts for the Society.
Any other comments on what is proposed would be welcome'.
Vanessa Straker
----------------------
Jacqui Mulville,
EH Regional Science Advisor (E. Mids)
Oxford University Museum,
Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW
Tel: 01865-272996 Fax: 01865-272970
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