Please note: This specimen was stillborn.

What’s cooler than a Nigerian Dwarf Goat taxidermy piece? How about a cyclops Nigerian Dwarf Goat taxidermy! We’re always super excited when a new oddity is added to our collection, but we’re absolutely ecstatic about this one. So how did this rare specimen come about and why does it have only one eye? Good question.

A cyclops goat is an extremely rare case where a baby goat is born with just one eye in the middle of its head. This happens because something goes wrong during development in the womb, either due to genetics or if the mother eats certain toxic plants like corn lilies while pregnant. Those plants contain a chemical called cyclopamine that interferes with how the face and brain form. Most cyclops goats don’t live long after birth because the condition usually comes with other serious health problems. This particular one was stillborn.

The idea and name come from Greek mythology. In those stories, cyclopes, which is the plural for cyclops, are giant one-eyed creatures. The most famous one is Polyphemus, who appears in Homer’s Odyssey. Polyphemus is a giant shepherd who traps Odysseus and his men in his cave. Odysseus outsmarts him by blinding his single eye to escape. It is a bit ironic that this specimen is a goat considering Polyphemus was a herder of them.

Aside from the obviously cool aspect of this piece, the Nigerian Dwarf Goat itself is a really interesting animal. Does stand only about 17 to 22 inches tall while bucks are 19 to 23 inches tall. They are generally bred as dairy goats and originally come from West African goats. These tiny buddies are not only a vital part of the dairy industry but also super dang cute.