Animal welfare

Andratx residents wanting action against goat invasion

Goat making himself at home. | Michel's

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterAndratx21/08/2018 00:00

Residents in Puerto Andratx and Camp de Mar are demanding that something be done about the goats which are entering gardens and eating vegetation and about their sheer number. There can be dozens of goats at any one time on the streets. As well as getting into gardens, they present a road safety issue.

Of particular concern are the bucks. One resident says that they have even tried to attack. The owner of a mansion in Cala Llamp explains that the goats enter through the pine wood land that surrounds the house. They go into the garden and take peeks inside the property.

The lack of control of the goats means that they are also making a nuisance of themselves for beachgoers at the likes of Cala Blanca.

The college of engineers for mountain areas in the Balearics has been warning about the negative effect of wild goats, especially in areas that have been reforested after fires. It is urging the taking of decisive measures to control the goat population.

The most decisive measure is culling. This, however, does not play well with public opinion. A couple of years ago there were culls on the Galatzo finca in Calvia. The town hall faced a great deal of criticism as a result.