NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6259437.stm

A notorious herd of wild goats has brought havoc to a north Devon village once again.

About a dozen billy goats managed to cross a £40,000 cattle grid, which was put in to keep them out of the picturesque village of Lynton.

In May 2005, the goats were given a reprieve when the town council abandoned its plans to cull them, in favour of installing the grid.

But it has only taken the goats a few months to learn how to "tip-toe" over it to get back into the village, where they have again been eating flowers in the cemetery and damaging gardens, along with the local cricket pitch.

Mayor Suzette Hibbert said the problem would need to be addressed once again.

"They are very naughty goats and really quite adept at walking on or between the cattle grid as they have very long legs," she said.

"As well as being escapologists they can climbs trees, but they do get into the cemetery and eat the freshly laid flowers, which upsets the residents very much."

Ms Hibbert said the council was in discussions with the county council, Exmoor Park Authority and grid supplier.

"But to be quite honest I don't think there is a cattle grid to keep them out."

Maybe they should just declare open season on the goats?

"they can climbs trees"

:eek: no fucking way!!!

They should have asked anyone who knows anything about goats before wasting more than $40k

"they can climbs trees"

:eek: no fucking way!!!
Still not as dangerous as drop bears, though. ;)

"they can climbs trees"

:eek: no fucking way!!!

As can snakes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ez5QPW-ku4), incidentally. :eek:


ETA: "They are very naughty goats" - how British can someone possibly be? :p

Still not as dangerous as drop bears, though. ;)

As can snakes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ez5QPW-ku4), incidentally. :eek:

:eek: I have a tree by my window!

ETA: "They are very naughty goats" - how British can someone possibly be? :p

Even seen a Discovery channel documentary set in Britain where you wish they had subtitles?

maybe if they electrified the cattle grid....

maybe if they electrified the cattle grid....

or had Greek men guarding it...

there I said it!

:eek: I have a tree by my window!
You're clearly doomed, unless you act fast! Board up the window and cut down the tree!

ETA: "They are very naughty goats" - how British can someone possibly be? :p
It's even more amusing if you imagine it being said in a west country accent. However, the default wc accent I imagine is that of a gnarled old man; the mayor probably isn't one of them.

I like goats. This reminds me why. :)

You're clearly doomed, unless you act fast! Board up the window and cut down the tree!

Trees. what good do they do anyway? I propose that we chop them all up, and replace them with coal factories or concrete business complex's.

It's even more amusing if you imagine it being said in a west country accent. However, the default wc accent I imagine is that of a gnarled old man; the mayor probably isn't one of them.
Seeing how her name is Suzette, I daresay that's probable indeed. :p

Still not as dangerous as drop bears, though. ;)

who left the gate open at the zoo

:eek: I have a tree by my window!

You're doomed.

Meh.
Mehehehe. Mehehehehe. Mehehehehehehehehe!http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/goat.gif

As an act of charity we should build them a little bridge, and export some of our trolls to live under it.

is there some reason not to round them up and turn them into food?

"they can climbs trees"

:eek: no fucking way!!!

Just like sheep... (http://www.ibras.dk/montypython/episode02.htm#1)

is there some reason not to round them up and turn them into food?

The English have an aversion to culling wild animals. There's currently a campaign group in London trying to stop the mayor from culling the pigeons who infest Trafalgar Square; our lifestock are in danger of TB because the government doesn't dare cull the badgers (who carry TB) for fear of public outcry.

None of this stops us eating meat of course, we just don't like the idea of culls. :)

The English have an aversion to culling wild animals. There's currently a campaign group in London trying to stop the mayor from culling the pigeons who infest Trafalgar Square; our lifestock are in danger of TB because the government doesn't dare cull the badgers (who carry TB) for fear of public outcry.

None of this stops us eating meat of course, we just don't like the idea of culls. :)

are these actual wild goats or domestic goats that got loose and became a nuisance?

its your business but its kinda foolish to let wildlife become a danger.

You're doomed.

http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

Indeed.

:eek: I have a tree by my window!

Snakes on a motherfuckin' tree branch!

are these actual wild goats or domestic goats that got loose and became a nuisance?

its your business but its kinda foolish to let wildlife become a danger.

Sounds like they're wild. To be honest, compared to wild boar or the Beast of Bodmin, goats aren't too bad. If they become a major nuisance then the local council will probably sort them out.

Sounds like they're wild. To be honest, compared to wild boar or the Beast of Bodmin, goats aren't too bad. If they become a major nuisance then the local council will probably sort them out.

i had no idea that there might be wild goats in the UK. we have some in the US--mountain goats--but they are mostly in locations where they dont pose a problem

if they arent a native species, they should be sold to whoever wants to take them in as livestock so that they can go the same way as any other goat in the US goes--to the slaughterhouse.

Seeing how her name is Suzette, I daresay that's probable indeed. :p
It's Devon. Anything's possible there. If you're from Devon and you marry a cousin, people wonder what's wrong with your siblings. ;)

I'm joking, of course. If you're Devonian and you marry a cousin, it's because all your siblings are taken.

As an act of charity we should build them a little bridge, and export some of our trolls to live under it.

I think I'm in love. ;)

BTW Goat curry is delicious, as is roti.

I was thinking live & let live, until I read this bit:

...damaging gardens, along with the local cricket pitch.

A metre high chain link fence should be erected. Failing that, goat curry should appear on the local menu.

They need to import a few lonely Sudanese men to marry the goats and make honest womengoats of them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4748292.stm

It'll keep them off the pitch at least.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6259437.stm



Maybe they should just declare open season on the goats?

Great story. First thing I did was send it to my little bro, the part-time dairy goat and sheep farmer.

"they can climbs trees"

:eek: no fucking way!!!

Indeed they can. I've seen one of my little bro's Nubians do it. They also learned how to open several different sorts of latches on their pen.

They should have asked anyone who knows anything about goats before wasting more than $40k

Still not as dangerous as drop bears, though. ;)

That gives me a fun idea... heheheh. :cool:

I like goats. This reminds me why. :)

Smart, they give milk that makes great cheese, they're yummy....what's not to like?

As an act of charity we should build them a little bridge, and export some of our trolls to live under it.

Excellent idea.

are these actual wild goats or domestic goats that got loose and became a nuisance?

its your business but its kinda foolish to let wildlife become a danger.

Good question. The story doesn't say, but it does mention they were noted in the Domesday book, so they go back at least in the neighborhood of a thousand years.


A quick search turns up this:
In Blakemore's Lorna Doone it was the home of Mother Meldrum. Blakemore also refers to goats in the Valley and today a herd of feral goats are to be found. The present herd have been in the Valley since the late 70s and are a popular sight for tourists. They have not always enjoyed such tolerance and previous herds have either been exterminated by farmers or were not hardy enough to stand the rigours of winter.
http://www.everythingexmoor.org.uk/_V/Valley_of_Rocks.php

and

The slopes are too steep for mechanised farming and historically only rough grazing was carried out. This did keep the landscape largely free of trees and gorse, bracken and heather dominate the vegetation. To maintain this status it is necessary to keep the flora and fauna at the status quo and the herd of feral goats performs part of this management regime.
and

Goats have been present in the valley of rocks since Doomsday times over many centuries, though their fortunes have come and gone. In the mid 19th Century local grazers removed the goats as they butted their sheep over the cliffs. The Hewitts reintroduced goats at the end of that century but they were of a domestic variety and the herd succumbed eventually to the harsh winter conditions by the 1960's. The herd today originated from the Northumbrian Cheviot Hills and was introduced in the mid 70's and have adapted well to the Valley's environment.
http://www.everythingexmoor.org.uk/_V/Valley_of_Rocks_Goats.php

http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

Indeed.

i had no idea that there might be wild goats in the UK. we have some in the US--mountain goats--but they are mostly in locations where they dont pose a problem

if they arent a native species, they should be sold to whoever wants to take them in as livestock so that they can go the same way as any other goat in the US goes--to the slaughterhouse.

It looks like they're a feral domestic species introduced to replace a very similar species that helped keep the ecological balance.

I think I'm in love. ;)

BTW Goat curry is delicious, as is roti.

As is all sorts of goat cheese, BBQed goat, roast goat, and more. We had one of my brother's lambs for Xmas dinner and one of the (goat) kids for New Years Eve.

They need to import a few lonely Sudanese men to marry the goats and make honest womengoats of them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4748292.stm

It'll keep them off the pitch at least.

That's the sort of thing that crossed my mind with trepidation when I read the title. That and the imagae that shall not be named....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6259437.stm



Maybe they should just declare open season on the goats?
There were some Welsh sheep that learnt how to cross one of those grids.
Crafty little devils.

Maybe it's time for a fence?

They can manage to stay on a cricket pitch. Sign them up for the English Cricket team, because no-one in that team can stay on a Cricket wicket for any length of time.
Wait up. They were born in England. That menas they wont be allowed in the team.
If you aren't a cricket fan. Ignore this post. Hopefully cricket fans are pissing themselves laughing.... Unless they are English.

You're clearly doomed, unless you act fast! Board up the window and cut down the tree!

In reverse order, so you can make some boards out of all the wood you now have lying around...

</carpentry tips>

</carpentry tips>
Now that's a first, even for NSG. :p

Now that's a first, even for NSG. :p
I wouldn't be so sure about that.

*goes off to search*

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

*goes off to search*

*bets you 5 euros that it is* :D

*bets you 5 euros that it is* :D
:p

I can't find any, but that doesn't mean they're not there. It's amazing how many results a search for 'carpentry' in General comes up with. Frequently in threads about religion, surprisingly enough. :p

:p

I can't find any, but that doesn't mean they're not there. It's amazing how many results a search for 'carpentry' in General comes up with. Frequently in threads about religion, surprisingly enough. :p

Ha, look what Kyronea just posted in the thread that was right above this on the frontpage as of the time I'm writing this:

Finally! Jesus Christ, this actually makes me want to say Jesus Christ as a swear! I tell ya, I'd be taking my wife's last name in a heart beat. I'm sick of Carpenter. So seriously sick of it.

:eek:

*cue eerie music*

:p

Ha, look what Kyronea just posted in the thread that was right above this on the frontpage as of the time I'm writing this:

:eek:

*cue eerie music*

:p
Heh, clearly there's some mysterious force that unites us all.

Heh, clearly there's some mysterious force that unites us all.

Luke Skywalker?

Maybe it's time for a fence?

You can't keep a goat in a fence that wants to get out, besides that they had a cow grid in place.

Luke Skywalker?
I was thinking silly string.

what I'm thinking is why didn’t they hire a shepherd:confused:

what I'm thinking is why didn’t they hire a shepherd:confused:
Because these are goats, and thus would require a goatherd.

Because these are goats, and thus would require a goatherd.

I almost made that post...

But then didn't.

I almost made that post...

But then didn't.
I figured that as nobody had by now, I might as well.

Hehehe...

Here's my little bro's reply, just as an aside.
Yep, goats can climb and balance. We were told to be
sure and put our fence braces outside the fence or
else they would scale the brace and jump the fence.
The prime means of keeping goats in a fence is to make
sure they are happy in there.
Sheep are really easy to keep in, and pigs are OK, but
if they get out, it's a nightmare. That's why we have
heavy guage cattle panels around our pig pen.

The prime means of keeping goats in a fence is to make sure they are happy in there.
I can't imagine wild goats would be too happy about being kept in a fenced enclosure.