Butterfly the Geep Will Make a Comeback in 2020

Petting zoos often feature familiar farm animals like chickens, piglets, sheep and cows; but one Arizona petting zoo recently welcomed something more exotic: butterfly the geep is an unusual half goat/half sheep hybrid born at their petting zoo.

Sheep-goat hybrids are relatively rare animals. Spring Rose was born when her mother, Momma, unexpectedly became pregnant with a lamb. The birth came as a complete shock to those managing the complex who didn’t even realize Momma had become pregnant!

Although goats and sheep might seem similar, they’re actually not related. Both belong to the subfamily Caprinae; sheep belong to Ovine while goats belong to Caprine species. Although they can mate successfully, hybrid offspring often do not survive gestation or live long after. Due to chromosome differences between species, sheep-goat hybrids usually experience very low fertility rates or abort entirely; this particular animal shows all of the signs of health!

The geep has quickly become a social media star, drawing many to see her live at Catherine Murphy’s zoo in order to raise funds for her special needs children and pay off her ranch mortgage. “She is truly miraculous in every sense,” Catherine states: from being conceived through giving birth and finally selling her.

She may be well-known, but it’s her fundraising that’s really made waves. As of this writing, her GoFundMe page has already raised over $46,000 and allowed her to purchase new equipment for the petting zoo and even take a vacation!

2020 has been a trying year, yet together we are making an impactful difference. Your contributions, whether as gardener, birder, photographer, or anyone simply interested in nature are important and with the proper tools we can all make an impactful difference! Thank you all so much for making a real difference; thanks for sharing them all on eButterfly in 2021 and beyond! If you haven’t done so already be sure to sign up now; signing up is free and easy and verifying records is the keystone to help make global impactful change! – Jo Flaherty –eButterfly Director North America