Goats

May 10, 2016 3:09 PM

Trees in Prospect Park were felled by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. They're struggling to recover in the face of invasive species. Goats to the rescue. But if you're obsessed by ["a rampant pro-billy goat prejudice" on Metafilter??] goats, a cautionary tale or four may be in order. Or you can enjoy one of many goat cams. Relax as they climb a 160-foot near-vertical dam.
posted by clawsoon (16 comments total)

No one should relax around goats -- the little butting bastards. NO ONE!
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 3:13 PM on May 10, 2016 [3 favorites]

I think we should trust goats to do the right thing.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 3:49 PM on May 10, 2016 [7 favorites]

You would say that.
posted by axiom at 3:58 PM on May 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

Or you could watch a young couple take their goat for a walk downtown.
posted by Zedcaster at 4:09 PM on May 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

That dam footage is amazing. Particularly the scene where one of the ibex, seemingly at a loss for footing on the next step, decides to essentially just suddenly sprint across the sheer face for several meters.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 4:14 PM on May 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

I love the fact that they're hoping to do the Running of the Goats again next year, even though two of the goats are still on the loose.
posted by clawsoon at 4:27 PM on May 10, 2016

Which trees are these? I've been on lots of hikes there and never found it wanting for foliage.
posted by grumpybear69 at 5:07 PM on May 10, 2016

I love goats! I try to go visit the Belmont goats in the Lents neighborhood of Portland whenever they have visiting hours.
posted by gucci mane at 5:35 PM on May 10, 2016

BTW Gothamist says that the Prospect Park goats will be available to the public for a "bleat and greet."
posted by postcommunism at 5:53 PM on May 10, 2016 [3 favorites]

BigHeartedGuy: "That dam footage is amazing."

There's no need for profanity.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:09 PM on May 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

I have previously expressed my opinion on goats. Did I mention they enjoy belching in your face with their goaty goat breath?
posted by BlueHorse at 10:21 PM on May 10, 2016

I miss Prospect Park!
posted by grobstein at 12:36 AM on May 11, 2016

A post about goats! Thank you, clawsoon. I love goats! They're friendly and inquisitive (like dogs). They can climb stuff (unlike dogs). If I had a goat, I would totally take it for a walk downtown.
posted by scratch at 5:16 AM on May 11, 2016

I don't know what they expected to happen in Kentucky, just using humans carrying bars in their hands as route boundaries. Also, never chase a goat you need to catch; they are prey animals and will just outrun you. (Of course I say all this one day before we move The Belmont Goats and hopefully don't have any incidents...)
posted by theonetruebix at 7:58 AM on May 11, 2016 [1 favorite]

We have some friends with pygmy goats, they are smart, fun, weird and very mischievous.

They will gently head bump you to come play.

That usually means chasing them around, falling on the ground and getting into a head butt fight, which is human hands pushing vs. tiny little goat pushing back. If you slip, they come in and bash the hell out of you for fun and then run away.

If you try to get back up too soon, they run back and knock you down again. They will do this until they are ready to do something else.

*note to self, write kung-fu movie where the master is a pygmy goat.
posted by bobdow at 12:49 PM on May 11, 2016 [2 favorites]

We specifically prohibit anyone from playing that game with our goats, but then ours are not disbudded. It's sort of asking for trouble to teach a goat it's okay to use its horns on people.
posted by theonetruebix at 11:28 PM on May 11, 2016