LLANDUDNO, a picturesque town in Conwy county, is set to bid farewell to its unruly inhabitants, a group of wild Kashmiri goats, that have caused widespread damage to properties and gardens of the residents.
Conwy council discussed ways to manage the goat population, which has soared to 153 in number at the Great Orme headland, where they originally dwell. Many goats descended to the town amid the Covid-19 pandemic, causing chaos.
The local authority is exploring different methods to control the goats, including contraception and herding, but they have failed to curb the destruction. As a result, the council has now decided to relocate the goats.
However, the council stressed the importance of conservation in the relocation process, and is reaching out to organizations to facilitate the move.
Sophie Birchall, Conwy’s lead environmental strategy officer, said, “We are actively looking at relocating strategies and reaching out to different organizations to see if we can get some relocation happening on the grounds of conservation because it has got to be right for the goats. We can’t just send them anywhere.”
At the peak of the pandemic, the animals wreaked havoc, damaging properties and gardens, and they have continued to do so. Landowners are responsible for safeguarding their properties, but councillors expressed concern about vulnerable residents unable to secure their homes.
Councillor Paul Luckock voiced his concern, stating that although it is up to private landowners to protect their property, “there are landowners who are vulnerable.” Conservation, heritage, and planning regulations also limit some residents from modifying their properties to safeguard their homes.
Meanwhile, Councillor Louise Emery acknowledged the distress of some residents whose gardens were “eaten alive” by the goats, but also highlighted the town’s affection for them. She added, “I’m not sure what the residents want because they do love the goats and, at the same time, hate them when they are in their garden, and if we ever suggested culling, we’d all be thrown out.”
The “Llandudno Feral Goats Management Plan” was unanimously backed by councillors and will be considered by the cabinet.
