Foraging behaviour and plant selection in a herd of Icelandic goats

The Icelandic goat is an indigenous breed, descendant of goats brought to Iceland by Nordic and Celtic settlers in the 9th century (Adalsteinsson 1981). The population is estimated to have been below 1000 individuals for centuries and critically threatened at least twice. Today about 900 goats are found all over the country, mostly in small groups with one large herd located in west Iceland. Very few studies have been conducted on the Icelandic goat. Previously, only one study (on population genetics) has been published (Baldursdottir et al. 2012). The aim of the present study was to shed light on the plant selection and foraging behaviour of the largest goat herd in Iceland.