Feral goats

Background

Goats arrived in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 as a source of meat and milk. Feral goat herds established when domestic goats escaped, were abandoned, or were deliberately released.

Feral goats are now found in all states and territories of Australia, as well as some offshore islands.

Impacts

Feral goats are an agricultural and environmental pest. They compete with sheep and native animals for pasture.

Feral goats contribute to land degradation through:

  • soil damage
  • overgrazing pasture plants
  • browsing established trees and shrubs
  • spreading the seeds of weeds and prevent the regeneration of native plants
  • damaging fences.

‘Competition and land degradation by feral goats’ is listed as a key threatening process under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Feral goats also pose a serious health risk to humans, livestock and native animals. They can spread exotic diseases such as footrot, and possibly even foot-and-mouth disease if it was introduced into Australia.

Controlling feral goats

Feral goats pose a complex management problem because they are a major agricultural and environmental pest. Goats are also a commercial resource for farmers who harvest them for their meat.

Landholders are responsible for the control of feral goats on their properties under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

The most effective forms of control are:

  • regular mustering
  • shooting at water points
  • trapping at water points.

Goats must not be released from captivity under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

Reporting feral goats

FeralGoatScan provides is a tool for reporting of feral goats, management activities undertaken and photos of the impacts of feral goats.

The information is used to identify practical solutions to feral goat impacts.

More information

How to report an established pest animal

If you see an established pest animal, we want to hear about it!

Report sightings via the Feral Scan website or app.

FeralScan
Page last reviewed: 30 Apr 2021

 


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