Open 361 Days a Year: Admissions 10:00am – 3:30pm; park closes at 4:30pm
Reservations are not required, and tickets do not need to be purchased online in advance.
Capra aegagrus hircus
Appearance: The Oberhasli goat is a medium sized goat and they can weigh up to 150 pounds. Their tan, brown and black color pattern is called “chamoisee”. The two sharp black lines that form at the top of their head and come down to the base of their nose are characteristic and unique to this species.
Behavior: They are known for their gentle disposition. The females, called does, are excellent milk producers with a record of 4665 lbs. of milk being produced in one year. The male bucks and wethers make really good pack animals because they are strong and unlike other goat species do not fear crossing rivers and other trail obstacles.
History: They were first imported here to the United States in the early 1900s as they were known to be a docile dairy breed species. By the 1930s farmers were able to establish and maintain purebred herds of their own and in 1977 the name Oberhasli was adopted.
Range: Oberhasli goats are found throughout the world but are native to mountain regions in Switzerland.
Diet: They mainly eat vegetation including grasses and alfalfa.
Date of Birth: March 12, 2014
Swiss (top) and Alpine (bottom) are brothers who were born on a farm in Leicester, North Carolina. They came to the WNC Nature Center in May 2014. Swiss is the larger of the two.
Generally shy and reclusive animals, black bears avoid human contact and are not normally aggressive. Two black bears, Uno and Ursa, live at the Nature Center.
Red wolves are highly endangered species that has been eliminated from almost all of its natural range. Our breeding pair of red wolves, Oak and Gloria, are part of the AZA Species Survival Plan.
Similar to the Nigerian dwarf goat, the American pygmy is a small goat that only reaches 1-2 feet in height. They vary widely in coloration including white, tan, caramel, gray, and black.
River otters are masterful in the water. Obi and Olive, the two otters at the Nature Center, love to show their playful side in their habitat!
WNC Nature Center
75 Gashes Creek Road
Asheville, NC 28805
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828-259-8080
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Friends of the
WNC Nature Center
PO Box 19151
Asheville, NC 28815
828-259-8092
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