Have you always wanted your own goat? Then off to Alicudi! The small island off the coast of Sicily currently has far too many of these animals and would therefore like to give them away.
About 100 people live on Alicudi and actually just as many goats. But now the goats have far outnumbered the humans, reported CNN, among others. There are now six times as many goats as people, the island’s mayor, Riccardo Gullo, told the broadcaster. He appealed to everyone who could and wanted to help to take part in solving the problem. The mayor came up with a solution himself: the “Adopt a Goat” program.
You don’t have to know anything about goat farming to do this, says Gullo. The only requirement: The animal must be transported off the island by boat after it has been caught.
The large number of goats has caused several problems, explained Gullo. They have invaded houses on the island, which is around five square kilometers in size, and are eating everything they can get their teeth into in gardens and parks. The goats also climbed stone walls, which then collapsed under their weight.
A cafe owner told the British newspaper The Guardian that the animals had become “uncontrollable.” “They run around in herds and cause damage, there are just too many of them.” One of the animals sat under a table with her. “It was a little attraction, but then you worried about whether it might bite someone.”
According to the Sicilian regional government, the goats were brought to the island by a farmer around 20 years ago and later released, CNN reported. For years they would have grazed alone and peacefully alongside the human inhabitants on the slopes of the Alicudi cliffs. But the uncontrolled reproduction of animals has become too much.
Anyone interested in taking in up to 50 goats can submit an official application to the municipality by April 10, said the mayor. However, he will extend the deadline until all the goats have been taken in. According to CNN, such an application costs 16 euros.
Despite the fee, many interested parties have already come forward, said Gullo. “We’ve heard from dozens since we first announced this,” he says. Among them is a farmer from the nearby island of Vulcano who makes goat cheese. “Ideally, we would like to see people try to domesticate the animals rather than eat them,” he added. However, the authorities would not closely examine the intentions of the goat sponsors. After the goats have been allocated, the goat farmer has 15 days to capture the animals and take them off the island.
However, some animals should remain on the small Italian island – as a photo opportunity for tourists.
Sources: CNN, “Guardian”
