The mayor of a remote Italian island overrun by wild goats has offered to give the animals away to anyone willing to take one in, Britain’s The Guardian reported.
Riccardo Gullo came up with the idea after a recent census estimated the number of goats on the five-square kilometer Alicudi, the smallest of Sicily’s Aeolian archipelago, was six times the island’s year-round population of 100, the newspaper said.
Their number has grown so rapidly in recent years that they started to gravitate from their usual abode at the top of the island towards the inhabited area, damaging lush green vegetation, causing havoc in gardens and allotments, knocking away portions of stone walls and even wandering into people’s homes.
“We absolutely do not want to even consider culling the animals, so we are encouraging the idea of giving them away,” said Gullo. “Anyone can make a request for a goat, it doesn’t have to be a farmer, and there are no restrictions on numbers.”
People have until 10 April to make their request. “We have already had several phone calls, including from a farmer on Vulcano island who would like to take several goats as, among other things, he produces a ricotta cheese which is much appreciated,” added Gullo. “If someone has the capacity to domesticate a goat, it could be a beautiful and more humane way to control the issue.”
Gullo told CNN Thursday that he does not care whether you know anything about raising goats, as long as you have a boat to get them off the island—once you’ve caught them.
