The Tree goats of Essaouria
Have you ever seen or heard about the flying Goats that stand on tree branches?
Well in Many parts of Morocco with Argan trees this is normal sight for them.
The tree goats of Essaouria are one of the main tourist attractions in Morocco. You’ll be astonished to see goats standing upright on Argan tree branches without falling off. They can stay all day on the trees unless they are being chased off.
Who helps the goats to climb up?
These goats climb up the Argan Trees without any help.They have learnt how to climb up the trees from birth. They love to feed on the the outer flesh of the Argan fruits and swallow the seeds. Their digestive system fails to breakdown these seeds and are excreted intact. These droppings are picked up and made into many products such as Argan oil, animal feeds, traditional medicine.However, with new modern methods of dehulling seeds these goats are no longer solely relied upon.
Are these goats found in only Essaouria?
These goats can be seen in all parts of the country but are always seen in the regions with many Argan trees. Argan trees are found in large numbers in the south western part of the country and Essaouria is known to have an extensive plantation of Argan trees which is majorly used for Argan oil production.
If you visit Morocco make sure to stop at an Argan tree and see the goats yourself!
