(TAN): Enterprising farmers have been taking advantage of tourists’ interest in Moroccan goats climbing the thorny Argan tree to make a quick buck.
Environmental photojournalist and TV presenter Aaron Gekoski, says these farmers now “manipulate the situation” by placing goats on artificial platforms built on the trees and charge tourists who want to take their photographs.
The goats normally climb the Argan tree to eat its bitter-tasting fruit. However, they cannot digest it’s oil-rich seed that comes out with the poop. The nuts are collected and sold for use in food and cosmetics.
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The “opportunistic” farmers even bring goats from other areas, build platforms on the trees and get the goats to stand on them. The animals are taken home late in the afternoon and the ritual is repeated the following day.
Speaking to TAN, Gekoski said: “Putting some goats in a tree might not be the cruellest form of wildlife tourism on the planet. But hopefully these images will make tourists think twice before taking that Instagram photo.”
He pointed out that the farmers were not hiding anything and were happy to give him an insight into the goats’ lives. He found many of the goats in “poor condition and very skinny”.
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“Images of goats in trees have become iconic, suggesting a rural idyll where crafty and agile animals have learned to make the most of their environment,” Chris Draper, head of animal welfare and captivity at Born Free, an organisation that works for wild animals, said. “The situation is likely to be very stressful for the goats, made worse by being placed next to a busy road and with streams of visitors stopping to take a look.”
Gekoski says he is starting Raise the Red Flag, a platform where tourists can raise their concerns about animal abuse.
“It will also encourage people to make better decisions whilst on holiday,” he says and adds that every year, an estimated 110 million people visit operators that abuse animals. Gekoski is seeking donations for this project and intends to use the money to expose wildlife cruelty around the world.
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