Goats aren’t just stubborn—they’re smart. Smarter than sheep and alpacas, according to new research from the University of Aberystwyth. Scientists put these animals to the test, and goats came out on top.
The study measured their ability to track objects even when they were no longer visible, a key survival skill in the wild. Researchers hid food under cups and made the animals find it. As the challenges got harder—like swapping cups around—goats still figured it out. Sheep and alpacas? Not so much.
Lead researcher Megan Quail explained that goats’ intelligence likely comes from their selective eating habits. Unlike sheep, which mindlessly graze anything in their path, goats have to be more strategic about what they eat. That sharpens their ability to observe, learn, and adapt.
It’s not just about food. Goats also have an edge in environmental awareness. In dense vegetation, tracking predators or fellow herd members is crucial. Their ability to remember locations and map out their surroundings gives them an advantage.
A separate experiment tested spatial memory—how well animals recall locations. Again, goats dominated. They remembered which buckets contained food far better than sheep or alpacas, proving they’re not just reacting to their surroundings but actually thinking ahead.
For those who thought goats were just headbutting troublemakers, think again. They’re the brains of the barnyard, outmaneuvering their woolly and fluffy counterparts with ease.
Five Fast Facts
- Goats have rectangular pupils, giving them a panoramic field of vision for spotting predators.
- Alpacas hum to communicate with each other, especially when stressed or curious.
- Sheep can recognize up to 50 other individual sheep and remember them for years.
- Goats were among the first animals domesticated by humans over 10,000 years ago.
- Unlike sheep, which stay in tight flocks, goats are natural explorers and often wander off alone.
