Jiglu: Farmtalking: Discussion: Cull of wild goats

Originally from: coleen

How sad that culling these animals is being considered. We certainly do have the appetitie for 'killing' these days. I find it sad that people have so little compassion and understanding for animals. Coleen

Wild ways leave goats at risk of cull
By Stefanie Marsh

A HERD of wild goats has divided a village in north Devon after the local council called for a cull.
For more than two decades the wild goats of Lynton have roamed the nearby valley and become one of the area's most successful tourist draws.

Although brochures still urge visitors to "come to see our wild goats", the council has called for drastic action after the animals made inroads into the cemetery and the tended gardens of residents. About 120 goats face a cull under plans by the Lynton and Lynmouth town council to reduce the number of the herd to 30.

Jan Hunt, a founder member of the Friends of the Goats organisation, said that she was horrified at the plans.

Rutting season – when the males instinctively wander off looking for new territories as the females nurse the kids – has forced the expanding goat population into Lynton.

Some local people complained that the goats – part of a grazing programme on the 300-acre Valley of Rocks, a site of special scientific interest – are wandering out of the reservation into gardens, allotments and the cemetery.

A £30,000 grant from Defra, English Nature and the Exmoor National Park Authority to build a fence around the site has been rejected by the council because, its members argue, goats could gain access to the town by the main road.

A cattle grid that would keep goats in the valley has been deemed potentially too noisy. At a meeting on March 31 the town councillors rejected the scheme and passed a motion to reduce the number of goats from 120 to 30.

Geoff Dwyer, the town clerk, said that the council was in discussion with English Nature and other agencies about the best resolution. "Apart from the damage caused to gardens, several graves have been damaged by the goats and it is causing genuine distress to some people," he said.

Mrs Hunt said that campaigners were astonished that the council had rejected the offer of a £30,000 grant.

"To turn down £30,000 worth of funding that had been agreed shows they are not committed to keeping the goats here," she said.

"It will be very difficult to shoot 90 goats in the valley – people walk around there and you can't close off the whole site."

David Lloyd, from the Exmoor National Park Authority, said: "It is very disappointing that this has been turned down and I find it difficult to understand why."

A small herd of goats was introduced to the Valley of Rocks about 25 years ago as part of a grazing programme to control the bracken.

Flemming Ulf-Hansen, a conservation officer with English Nature, said that the animals played an important role in controlling bracken in the valley and culling them would be no solution. "The goat numbers will increase again, so the council will be faced with the same problem in the future."

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Originally from: Joyce

On Countryfile a week or two ago wild goats were wanted to keep vegetation down in a climbing area... was it Cumbria? Joyce

Author wrote:
How sad that culling these animals is being considered. We certainly do have the appetitie for 'killing' these days. I find it sad that people have so little compassion and understanding for animals.
Coleen
Wild ways leave goats at risk of cull
By Stefanie Marsh
A HERD of wild goats has divided a village in north Devon after the local council called for a cull.
For more than two decades the wild goats of Lynton have roamed the nearby valley and become one of the area's most successful tourist draws.
Although brochures still urge visitors to "come to see our wild goats", the council has called for drastic action after the animals made inroads into the cemetery and the tended gardens of residents. About 120 goats face a cull under plans by the Lynton and Lynmouth town council to reduce the number of the herd to 30.
Jan Hunt, a founder member of the Friends of the Goats organisation, said that she was horrified at the plans.
Rutting season – when the males instinctively wander off looking for new territories as the females nurse the kids – has forced the expanding goat population into Lynton.
Some local people complained that the goats – part of a grazing programme on the 300-acre Valley of Rocks, a site of special scientific interest – are wandering out of the reservation into gardens, allotments and the cemetery.
A £30,000 grant from Defra, English Nature and the Exmoor National Park Authority to build a fence around the site has been rejected by the council because, its members argue, goats could gain access to the town by the main road.
A cattle grid that would keep goats in the valley has been deemed potentially too noisy. At a meeting on March 31 the town councillors rejected the scheme and passed a motion to reduce the number of goats from 120 to 30.
Geoff Dwyer, the town clerk, said that the council was in discussion with English Nature and other agencies about the best resolution. "Apart from the damage caused to gardens, several graves have been damaged by the goats and it is causing genuine distress to some people," he said.
Mrs Hunt said that campaigners were astonished that the council had rejected the offer of a £30,000 grant.
"To turn down £30,000 worth of funding that had been agreed shows they are not committed to keeping the goats here," she said.
"It will be very difficult to shoot 90 goats in the valley – people walk around there and you can't close off the whole site."
David Lloyd, from the Exmoor National Park Authority, said: "It is very disappointing that this has been turned down and I find it difficult to understand why."
A small herd of goats was introduced to the Valley of Rocks about 25 years ago as part of a grazing programme to control the bracken.
Flemming Ulf-Hansen, a conservation officer with English Nature, said that the animals played an important role in controlling bracken in the valley and culling them would be no solution. "The goat numbers will increase again, so the council will be faced with the same problem in the future."

Originally from: mark purdey

Hi Colleen,

Your message did not come out on my computer ( another good examples of the hiccoughs / unreliability of cyberspace !! ) over the cull of wild goats.

Sounds to be important though disturbing news , and would guess that its another DEFRA scheme to annihilate the wild goat herd due to a BSE risk !! sick if it is. This will all make good armoury for the publicity surrounding my up and coming court case where I am going to use as many examples as possible of the unnecessary slaughter of healthy animals .

Best,

Mark

Originally from: mark purdey

Oh, I know those goats well. They are in the valley of the rocks at Lynton near to us – where we sometimes go on Sundays for family walks instead of filling out BCMS forms et al. they look very healthy.

To think I was almost convinced it was another DEFRA scheme, and there are DEFRA offering fencing grants to actually keep the goats at bay rather than have them slaughtered . this is positive news in one sense.

Mark

Originally from: coleen

Hi Mark

In this case it does seem to be some of the locals who are 'fed up' with having their gardens destroyed! They also say the goats are dangerous...perhaps these villagers have a destorted view on dangerous.

I find it sad that 'killing' is always the solution to a problem when it comes to animals.

Coleen