The Sicilian island of Alicudi is struggling with an overpopulation of goats. After the mayor released the animals for adoption, demand is huge.
There are too many goats on the picturesque volcanic island of Alicudi. There are 600 animals for just 100 inhabitants. The online portal “fanpage.it” reports on the great response to the unusual solution. The government of the Sicily region and the mayor have made a public offer for the adoption of the goats. But there is criticism from animal rights activists.
“Alicudi is really in trouble,” Carolina Barnao, Councilor for Animal Protection of the Lipari Municipal Council, explains the action to “fanpage.it”. According to the politician, examinations were carried out on the animals to ensure their health and well-being.
The mayor of Lipari, Riccardo Gullo, tells fanpage.it that he has received many requests for the goats. He even tells how a businessman called and wanted to take all 600 goats with him in one fell swoop.
One option was to kill the surplus animals, but Gullo, a staunch animal rights activist, rejected this option. He hoped that the released goats would be treated well and stated that the animals would not be slaughtered as a condition. Nevertheless, the action led to sharp criticism from animal rights activists.
The “Frankfurter Rundschau” quotes a statement from LNDC Animal Protection, which speaks of a “massacre”. The animals would live free today and would face a “new life in captivity and exploitation”. The animal protection organization is considering legal action.
The goat “invasion” began 20 years ago when a farmer brought the animals to the island and left them to fend for themselves. Since then, the animals have multiplied rapidly, which has become a major problem for the island. The goats invade gardens, eat crops and destroy stone walls, which have been listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage since 2018.
Despite the great response to the campaign, the herd will remain in place according to the mayor’s wishes. The wild animals have become a popular photo opportunity for tourists and shape the image of the island.
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