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Feral, or wild goats are believed to have been introduced to
the British Isles by stone-age farmers, and have been living
here for well over 1,000 years.
Argyll is Britain's goat capital, with nearly 40 tribes
(groups), and an average of around 30 animals in each. Goats
were introduced for a variety or reasons, including their milk
and for their hair, but some estates introduced them to help
safeguard sheep stocks - their more aggressive nature, and
ability to access more precipitous ground meant they would
graze on cliff edges, and defend these areas from sheep, which
were less agile and more prone to falling to their death.
Unlike deer, wild goats do not shed their antlers, and it is
possible to age them by counting the growth rings on their
horns.
Wild goats have few natural predators, with only fox and
eagle likely to take the occasional kid (young goat). The
greatest threat to our 4,000 or so wild goats is from man.
There is pressure from forestry (where goats are culled to
minimise grazing damage), from sport (there has been some
interest in the past in shooting goats for their horns - as a
trophy); and from commercial interests as goats can fetch a
handsome price for their hair.
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