Leslie Massey
Feral goats, which first arrived in Australia with European settlers in the 18th century, are now found across the country and on many offshore islands. They are an invasive species, causing economic and environmental damage through overgrazing, competition with livestock and native marsupials, and soil erosion. With the ability to spread weeds and carry parasites and diseases, they are considered a pest in Western Australia and are controlled through mustering, commercial sale, and aerial and ground shooting. While they are a source of meat, skin, and live exports, their negative impact on conservation and biodiversity has resulted in their eradication from several islands.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Goat Population in 1993 | 2.6 million |
| Goat Population in 2020 | 4.9 million |
| Goat Population in 2023 | 2,364,307 |
| Goat Population in 2025 | Unknown, but the population has fluctuated |
| Goat Weight | 40-60 kg (adults), 2.6 kg (kids) |
| Goat Diet | Foliage, twigs, bark, flowers, fruit, roots, plant litter, seeds, fungi, prickly acacia, poisonous or bitter plants, species avoided by sheep and cattle |
| Goat Drinking Habits | 2-4.5 L of water per day |
| Goat Habitat | Arid and semi-arid rangelands, small islands, public land in Victoria, private property in some areas, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory |
| Goat Predators | Wild dogs, foxes, wedge-tailed eagles, feral pigs |
| Goat Parasites | Internal and external parasites, Ovine footrot |
| Goat Diseases | Ovine Johne's Disease, foot-and-mouth, rinderpest, rabies, blue tongue |
| Goat Exports | Goat meat, live goats, goat skin |
| Goat-related Losses | $25 million per year in livestock farming, environmental damage, pasture degradation, negative impact on conservation values and biological diversity |
| Goat-related Gains | $29 million per year from commercial exploitation |
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What You'll Learn
Goats in Australia: an invasive species
Feral goats are an invasive species in Australia, first introduced in the 18th century by European settlers. Today, they are found across Australia, causing economic and environmental damage through overgrazing and competition with livestock and native marsupials.
The current feral goat population in Australia is a mixture of various breeds, including Angora, Cashmere, Anglo-Nubian, British Alpine, Saanen, and Toggenburg. They are highly social animals with complex communication systems, making them difficult to drive or muster. Feral goats are known to be opportunistic feeders, selecting the highest-quality foods available and are capable of eating most plant species in Australia, including toxic, spiny, or bitter plants. They also climb trees to graze, impacting specific plant communities and limiting the survival of certain plant species.
Feral goats are most prevalent in western New South Wales, with an estimated population of 4.9 million in 2020. They are also found in high densities in the arid and semi-arid rangelands of Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia, where they are considered a significant agricultural and environmental pest. Their presence has been modified favourably by human activities such as supplying water and controlling predators to improve sheep production.
The impact of feral goats in Australia extends beyond environmental concerns. They are responsible for economic losses in various areas, including competition with livestock for food, water, and shelter, as well as potential costs incurred by primary producers to prevent male feral goats from mating with domestic females. Additionally, feral goats are susceptible to several diseases, including Ovine Johne's Disease, foot-and-mouth, and rabies, posing a risk of spreading exotic diseases.
Despite the challenges posed by feral goats, there is an economic incentive for their capture and sale. Goat meat, live goats, and goatskin are valuable exports for Australia, with the country being the world's largest exporter of goat meat. However, the overall economic cost of feral goats in Australia is estimated at $25 million per year.
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Goat population control methods
Feral goats, an invasive species in Australia, have spread across 35% of the country and are found in all states and the Australian Capital Territory. They are considered a significant agricultural and environmental pest, causing economic damage through overgrazing and competition with livestock and native marsupials.
Capture and Sale
Many pastoralists in Australia consider the capture and sale of feral goats to be an essential part of their business. Goat meat, live goats, and goatskin are all products of this practice. Mustering is a common method of capturing goats, and it can be done by herding goats into yards with the help of working dogs or by using helicopters or light aircraft to flush them out of rough country.
Hunting and Culling
Hunting and culling are often used as methods of feral goat population control. In Australia, this is done through ground shooting and aerial shooting from helicopters. While this method can be effective in rugged terrain, it is costly, and survivors of repeated aerial shooting campaigns may become wary of helicopters, reducing the success rate of subsequent shoots. It is important that all shooting is done in a humane manner by trained shooters.
Fencing
Fencing can be used to control goat movements, but it is expensive and difficult to maintain. Goats are intelligent and inquisitive, so they will test fences and escape through any faults they find. Electrifying the wires of the fence can help to hold goats more effectively.
Reintroducing Predators
While not specifically mentioned in the context of Australia, reintroducing predators is another method used in wildlife population control.
Sterilisation and Neutering
Sterilisation and neutering are additional techniques used in wildlife population control but are not mentioned in the sources specifically for goats in Australia.
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Goat impacts on the economy and environment
Feral goats in Australia are considered invasive and are found across the country, causing economic and environmental damage. They first arrived in the 18th century with European settlers and are now found in all states and the Australian Capital Territory, though they are less common in the Northern Territory. They are most prevalent in western New South Wales, which had an estimated 4.9 million feral goats in 2020. They are also found on many offshore islands, including those with significant conservation value, such as Lord Howe Island.
The economic impact of feral goats in Australia is substantial. They are responsible for an estimated loss of $25 million per year. However, the capture and sale of these goats have become an essential part of the business for many pastoralists. Goat meat, live goats, and goat skin are the main products exported. Australia is the world's largest exporter of goat meat, with most of its meat products exported due to low domestic demand. In 2023, China, the US, and the Republic of Korea were the top three importers of Australian goat meat, with China accounting for 23% of exports worth A$67.2 million.
The goat industry in Australia manages both farmed and wild-caught animals, with the majority being rangeland goats. These rangeland goats are considered a significant agricultural and environmental pest, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. They contribute to overgrazing, competing with livestock and native marsupials for resources. People's activities, such as supplying water and controlling predators to enhance sheep production, have inadvertently created favourable conditions for feral goats.
To manage feral goat populations, Western Australia has implemented a feral goat management program that includes mustering goats for commercial sale and aerial and ground shooting to reduce their numbers. The Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976 also outlines landowners' responsibilities in dealing with and limiting the spread of these invasive goats. Eradication efforts have been successful on several islands, including Faure Island and Bernier Island. These initiatives aim to mitigate the environmental and economic harm caused by feral goats while also promoting sustainable practices within the goat industry.
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Goat distribution and prevalence across Australia
Feral goats are an invasive species in Australia, first introduced by European settlers in the 18th century. They are now found across the country, causing economic and environmental damage through overgrazing and competition with livestock and native marsupials. They are present in all states and the Australian Capital Territory, though they are less common in the Northern Territory.
Feral goats are most prevalent in western New South Wales, which had an estimated population of 4.9 million in 2020. They are also found at high densities in the arid and semi-arid rangelands of Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia, where they are considered a significant agricultural and environmental pest. Their presence can lead to soil erosion and the spread of weeds, impacting native vegetation and causing economic losses for farmers.
Goats were initially concentrated near settlement areas, but they have since spread across 35% of Australia and are found on many offshore islands. They were introduced to various regions by settlers, miners, and railway construction gangs for meat, milk, and fibre production. The collapse of the fibre industry in the 1920s led to the release of many goats, contributing to the feral population.
The Australian feral goat population consists of a mix of breeds, including Angora, Cashmere, Anglo-Nubian, British Alpine, Saanen, and Toggenburg. They have distinctive curved or corkscrew-shaped horns and vary in coat type and colour. Adult males, or "billies," weigh between 45 and 60 kg, while females, or "nannies," typically weigh between 40 and 55 kg. Juveniles are referred to as "kids."
Feral goats are a concern for animal health authorities due to their ability to carry and spread diseases like footrot, foot-and-mouth, rabies, bluetongue, and rinderpest. They can also cause damage to infrastructure and heritage sites, and their control incurs economic costs. However, they are also a resource, with commercial exploitation of feral goats valued at about $29 million per year.
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Goat biology and behaviour
Goats are intelligent, social, and agile animals. They are naturally curious and can climb and balance in precarious places, making them the only ruminants to regularly climb trees. They are also good at escaping their pens by testing fences and enclosures. Goats are one of the earliest animals to be domesticated by humans, with the earliest remnants of domesticated goats dating back 10,000 years and found in Ganj Dareh, Iran. They are primarily descended from the Bezoar goat, Capra aegagrus, except for the Angora, Cashmere, and Damascus breeds, which descended from the Markhor, Capra falconeri.
Goats are versatile, domesticated animals kept for meat, milk, wool, and skins. They have also been used by humans to clear unwanted vegetation for centuries, earning the nickname "eating machines". They are good at foraging and exhibit more exploratory behaviours than sheep, who are more fearful and shy. Goats preferentially browse on grasses, herbs, and shrubbery, and their lips help them selectively grab feed. They have a four-compartment stomach and a long intestinal canal, which allows better nutrient absorption from grass and other roughage.
Goats are social animals, and their behaviour can vary in response to different environmental factors. They generally turn and face an intruder, and bucks are more likely to charge or butt at humans than rams. They are also capable of recognising individuals and forming social bonds. Goats have rectangular pupils, and their eye colour varies, with yellow and brown being the most common. They are believed to have excellent night vision and often browse at night.
Goats are difficult to herd and, when handled as a group, display less herding behaviour than sheep. When grazing undisturbed, they spread across the field or range rather than feeding side by side. They are also capable of discriminating emotional valence in human voices and can perceive differences in emotional content. This ability to understand human emotions may have developed over their long association with humans.
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Frequently asked questions
Feral goats are found across Australia and are present in all states and the Australian Capital Territory, although they are less common in the Northern Territory. They are most prevalent in western New South Wales, where there were an estimated 4.9 million feral goats in 2020. They also occur on many Australian offshore islands, including Lord Howe Island and islands in the Archipelago of the Recherche. Feral goats have been eradicated from some islands, such as Faure Island, Bernier Island, Woody Island, and Townshend Island. Overall, they are estimated to occupy about 35% of Australia.
Goats first arrived in Australia with European settlers in the 18th century, specifically with the first fleet in 1788.
Goats were introduced to various parts of Australia by settlers, miners, and railway construction groups. They were also brought to control weeds in some areas. Additionally, the natural habitat has been modified to favour goats through actions such as supplying water and controlling predators to improve sheep production.
Yes, feral goats are considered pests in Australia, causing economic and environmental damage through overgrazing, competition with livestock and native animals, soil erosion, and damage to infrastructure and vegetation. They are responsible for estimated losses of $25 million per year in livestock farming alone.
Australia has implemented various measures to control and manage feral goat populations. Western Australia has a feral goat management program that includes mustering goats for commercial sale and aerial and ground shooting to reduce their numbers. The Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976 also outlines landowners' responsibilities in dealing with and limiting the spread of feral goats. Additionally, the Animal and Plant Control Act 1986 in South Australia prohibits the keeping and release of goats on most islands in the state.
