History
The Karystos goat is bred in the Karystos province in the southern part of Evia Island. It is a frugal goat, excellently adapted to the poor pastures surrounding Ochi Mountain which is its traditional habitat. In recent years pure herds have retreated to the north and east of Karystos, in the remote region of Cavodoro, which is now the breed’s stronghold. Its regional breeders are exclusively professional livestock keepers.
Morphological Traits
It is a relatively small-sized goat displaying great homogeneity in its colour pattern and phenotypic characteristics. Both males and females are horned with large and strong spiraling V shaped horns, growing vertically with a slight backward tilt. Almost all members of the breed have predominantly black, short and smooth coats. There are often chestnut-red markings on the chest, the neck, the face, the limbs and the abdomen.
Population
The current purebred population is estimated at 3,500 animals distributed among 10 breeders. The breed is classified as ‘Not at Risk’.
For more information about all the Greek domestic breeds, you can purchase Amalthia's bilingual (Greek-English) book "Greek Domestic Breeds - A Hidden Treasure"
