Current:Home > InvestA small Italian island with a population of 100 people is being overrun by 600 goats. The mayor wants people to adopt them. -FundPrime
A small Italian island with a population of 100 people is being overrun by 600 goats. The mayor wants people to adopt them.
View
Date:2025-04-15 09:01:48
A small Italian island is being overrun by goats – in fact, there are six times the amount of the animals than there are people. Riccardo Gullo, the mayor of Alicudi, which is just off the coast of Sicily, is now trying to give away goats as the island becomes inundated with the animals.
Alicudi only has 100 inhabitants but 600 goats, Gullo said in a post on social media. The goats usually graze on the mountains and cliffs of the island but as they've grown in population, they've infiltrated residential areas, according to BBC News.
Since the goats are damaging gardens, Gullo came up with an "Adopt A Goat" program to give them away. Adoption applications are due on Wednesday, BBC News reports.
Alicudi is one of seven islands that make up the Aeolian Archipelago, and there is a farmer on a nearby island, Vulcano, who produces cheese and would like to take some of the goats, Gullo told the Guardian.
In an interview with local publication Fanpage, Gullo said he is an animal rights activist and has never even caught a fish.
"In my belief, we must always intervene in nature with soft feet," Gullo said. "I hope, and in this I am comforted by the experts, that we have made the best possible choice and that these goats will live a happy life."
He has thought about the possibility of allowing breeders to take the goats and said an entrepreneur called to offer to take all 600 of the animals.
The goats would normally each cost 200 euros – or about 217 U.S. dollars – but the Alicudi goats will be free to anyone who wants them. The goats will be checked out by a vet before they are delivered.
If the goat adoption plan works, it may be applied to other Aeolian islands that are overrun with the animals.
"Who knows why goats get along so well in our islands: So particular, so solitary... It means that they are goats of good taste," Gullo told Fanpage.
CBS News has reached out to Gullo for comment but did not immediately get a response.
Caitlin O'KaneCaitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.
veryGood! (58)
Related
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Judge denies pretrial release of a man charged with killing a Chicago police officer
- What to watch and listen to this weekend from Ryan Gosling's 'Fall Guy' to new Dua Lipa
- You Won't Be Able to Unsee Ryan Gosling's La La Land Confession
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Katie Ledecky, Jim Thorpe among 2024 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients by Joe Biden
- Pregnant Francesca Farago Shares Peek at Jesse Sullivan’s & Her Twins
- Former Boy Scout volunteer sentenced to 22 years in prison for hiding cameras in camp bathrooms
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen: Protecting democracy is vital to safeguard strong economy
Ranking
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- '9-1-1' stars talk Maddie and Chimney's roller-coaster wedding, Buck's 'perfect' gay kiss
- Mississippi city council member pleads guilty to federal drug charges
- Three groups are suing New Jersey to block an offshore wind farm
- Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
- Save 70% on Alo Yoga, Shop Wayfair's Best Sale of the Year, Get Free Kiehl's & 91 More Weekend Deals
- Jewish students grapple with how to respond to pro-Palestinian campus protests
- Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signs bill to repeal 1864 ban on most abortions
Recommendation
Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
Ashley Graham’s 2-Year-Old Son Roman Gets Stitches on His Face
Bucks' Patrick Beverley throws ball at Pacers fans, later removes reporter from interview
Loss and Damage Meeting Shows Signs of Giving Developing Countries a Bigger Voice and Easier Access to Aid
Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
Summer heat hits Asia early, killing dozens as one expert calls it the most extreme event in climate history
NYPD body cameras show mother pleading “Don’t shoot!” before officers kill her 19-year-old son
Walgreens limits online sales of Gummy Mango candy to 1 bag a customer after it goes viral