As firefighters battle wildfires that have already burned nearly 300,000 acres in southwest Spain and France, the search is on for ways to prevent fires of this scale in the future. And one solution might be in the hands – or hooves – of goats.
Goats might sound like unlikely firefighters, but their role is preventative. They actually provide a “cost-effective and environmentally sound way” to clear shrubbery that would “otherwise feed a wildfire instead of a hungry herd”, said the Los Angeles Times. In California, where the size and intensity of wildfires have increased, 400 goats and 100 sheep have been deployed in Fresno to graze on yellow star thistle, a weed that can help to spread fires.
Goats are “particularly effective” at reducing flammable flora as they “happily consume” thorny shrubbery that other animals tend to avoid. And sheep are good at reaching grasses and low-growing plants, said The Times of India. “Together, they provide an environmentally friendly alternative to bulldozers, lawnmowers and herbicides, especially on uneven or difficult terrain.” The animals consume seeds as well as leaves, which limits the plant’s ability to spread further.
This summer’s wildfires in southwest Europe have been the “most painful manifestation” of the “climate emergency”, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told a climate conference this week. If these extreme crises are “no longer an exception”, but the rule, we need to look at solutions for future prevention. |
