GOATS
I first encountered the Kefalonian goats whilst driving through the mountains on a trip to Fiskardo. I was driving very carefully, I do not do heights and there were sheer drops at the roads edge, when I came around a corner and there were goats lying in the middle of the road, basking in the sun. They are all over the island and certainly think that they are entitled to go where they want. They are not wild however, as a few of them will be wearing bells to alert the goat herder as to their whereabouts.
There are 2 main breeds of goat, although with interbreeding, this can be confusing. There is a short-legged breed, called the Vlahiki goat, which can be found in the hills around Skala. The Vlahiki is descended from the Capra Prisca, or wild goats of the island, and the only indigenous goat breed. They are small, but hardy, and well suited to the environment of Kefalonia. The other main breed is the Skópelos, which are known for their high milk yield and good meat. They are a large multi-coloured goat.
