They have roamed a moorland in southern Scotland for centuries.
Now residents are fighting to save the growing population of wild goats near Langholm in the Scottish Borders after a rewilding organisation revealed it wants to cull some of them as part of its ‘future restoration plans’.
Oxygen Conservation, which owns 11,390 acres on Langholm Moor, has said it plans to reduce the number of wild goats amid concerns the existing 138-strong herd is destroying trees and posing a ‘serious threat to delicate habitats’.
But local campaigners claim the goats’ only crime is ‘living on the land they have occupied for centuries’ and described them as a ‘living testament to our shared history and the earth’s wondrous biodiversity’.
A petition to stop the proposed cull has already gained more than 1,700 signatures.
Organiser Gail Brown said: ‘The wild goats of Langholm Fell have been a treasured part of our daily lives for hundreds of years. These magnificent creatures bring joy to anyone fortunate enough to spot them gracefully traversing across the fell.
With a number of young kids among them, they embody the true nature of life and resilience in our rural setting.’
She added: These harmless beings coexist peaceably with all creatures on the fell, inflicting harm upon no one.
‘It is deeply concerning that such a destructive decision would be proposed without considering the historical and emotional significance these animals carry for our community.’
Campaigners argue that the goats form part of the area’s diverse wildlife and claim the ‘indiscriminate culling of wildlife is not only unreflectively cruel but can have unintended negative impacts on the local ecosystem’.
It is believed the goats are descendants of livestock which had to be abandoned by local farmers during the clearances and ‘act as a living reminder of the region’s turbulent past’.
One local said it was ‘beggar’s belief’ that the firm wants to cull the goats ‘under the conservation banner’.
They added: ‘It’s time to wake up to this green washing disaster before it’s to late.
The goats are a part of our cultural heritage have been here for centuries and definitely long enough to have created a unique ecosystem that relies on the goats to keep it in tune.’
Oxygen Conservation, which owns an area of Langholm Moor known as Blackburn and Hartsgarth, has bought several rural estates across the UK in its bid to ‘deliver positive environment and social impacts’.
On its website it states its ambition is ‘to continue the incredible conservation works across Blackburn and Hartsgarth to deliver a meaningful contribution to both the UK’s climate and biodiversity targets’.
It adds: ‘Working with the local community, we will protect and improve one of the most important breeding areas for the UK’s most threatened bird of prey – the hen harrier. Increasing these bird populations and wider ecological biodiversity.’
The firm said over the past 18 months it has been monitoring the wild goat population and since buying the land at the end of 2023 goat numbers had increased from 20 to 138 at the last count in January.
It added: ‘This is a massive increase in a small amount of time, and we are already seeing the impact of their browsing on the few remaining trees on the Estate.
If we don’t manage numbers now, the growing goat population will have an increasingly negative impact on the environment.’
The firm said rehoming wild animals was ‘not feasible due to their rapid population growth and the risk of causing ecological damage to other habitats’.
It added: ‘Culling is not a decision we take lightly, but it is a necessary measure that landowners across the UK are undertaking in response to environmental policy and ecological best practices.’
This article by Claire Elliot was first published by The Daily Mail on 24 February 2025. Lead Image: Feral goats have roamed the countryside around Langholm Moor for centuries.
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