Aye, Karumbi! World’s shortest living goat in India is adorable and only one foot tall

Farmer Peter Lenu, in Kerala, India, was used to his pygmy goats running up and rubbing themselves on his legs, tripping him up and vying for attention. But it wasn’t until a guest stopped by and remarked how small they really are, that Peter realized he might have a record breaker right on his very farm.

“I take special care to maintain the genetic quality of all the animals I have,” said Peter, who comes from an agricultural family. But Karumbi, a tiny, black female pygmy goat, was special – at only 1 ft 3 in (40.50 cm) tall, at the full-grown age of four, this G.O.A.T of goats is the shortest living goat in the world. 

Born sometime in 2021, Karumbi is a teetering Canadian Pygmy goat, known for their stocky bodies and the genetic dwarfism that prevents their legs from growing more than 21 in (53 cm) high. 

At the tallest point on her body, measured vertically between her front legs and the hump between her front shoulder blades, Karumbi is just 1.4 ft (42.7 cm), and she’s only 1.1 ft (33.5 cm) long. That’s one short goat!

As the smallest on the farm, Karumbi is a social creature, who loves to play with the taller animals. She lives with three other male goats, nine other females, and 10 kids, who all have some variation of black and/or white hair – as well as cows, rabbits, hens, and ducks. 

And farmer Peter recently got some good news – Karumbi and her four month-old kid are about to make their family bigger (just not taller!), as the record holder is pregnant again!

After hearing a suggestion from a guest about submitting Karumbi for a Guinness World Records title, Peter “came to know there’s a chance for me to receive this prestigious record.” He brought his goats to the veterinarian, who took measurements of Karumbi and her kid and investigated their ages and health. After finding out that the goat is a fit, full-grown mother with just an exceptionally small size, Peter was thrilled to know she qualified.

“As a farmer, if I got this record [it’d be] a privilege for entire farmers and agriculturists,” he said.

In the future, he promises to keep taking good care of the goat, and can’t wait to see the size of her tiny new baby.

So here’s to you, kid!