Watch: Goats storm villages in Spain in search of food and water – as locals demand action to tackle growing problem

FOR nearly four decades now, the residents of the Sierra de Callosa mountain range in the Valencia region have been faced with an unusual problem: around 200 domestic goats that are invading residential areas in search of food and water. 

The animals were either released on purpose or they escaped into the mountains around 37 years ago, according to a report in Informacion, and have managed to not only adapt to their surroundings but also to reproduce. 

The 150 to 200 goats now roam the area in several groups, munching their way through the local flora as well as appearing in neighbourhoods such as Gurugu where they quench their thirst at water fountains. 

Residents of the area have been complaining about the goats for at least 20 years, according to video evidence and official complaints filed. 

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The problem has worsened in recent months, however, given the drought and lack of food left for them to eat. 

Causing even more controversy are animal-rights groups, who are giving the animals food and drink to help them survive, at the same time as biologists and environmentalists are warning of the devastating impact that this invasive species is having in an area of natural beauty such as the Sierra de Callosa.

“Ideally, the best thing would be to capture the animals after getting them used to feeding and watering them in an enclosed area, and then a local rancher could take them,” Pablo Perales, an environmentalist from Territorio Natura, told Informacion.

“Animals are turned into pets by people who don’t think about the consequences of their presence in the natural environment, or on other native species,” he explained. “What’s more, people choose which animals can be saved or not. Cats yes, rats no.”

For now, however, there appears to be no clear solution on the horizon – locals say that the councils involved are acting with a complete lack of transparency and are refusing to provide information about what steps are being taken. 

As a temporary measure, the local council in the municipality of Cox has, at least, created areas with supplies of water and food in a hunting area in a bid to stop the animals from coming down to inhabited areas.