Conservation Conversations 11

The Lynton Goats

The saga of the feral goats of the Valley of the Rocks in Devon continues with claims of a poison apple plot (shades of 'Snow White'? http://environment.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,2041369,00.html) and the council's intention of bringing in a marksman to carry out a cull (http://environment.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,2051980,00.html). The goats are something of an attraction and its has been claimed that they have lived in the location for at least 1000 years (still making them the product of human intervention). As is traditional with goats, they are partial to the plants in people's gardens and strip the bark from trees (often with fatal consequences to the plant). Such debates raise passions about 'animal rights' and human concerns but there seems little doubt that the animals will have to be managed if they are not going to become the focus of the location. Goat introductions have proved severely problematic in many fragile environments including islands such as Hawaii and the Galapagos.