Call to protect ancient goats from moorland cull

This billy goat, nicknamed Boris, is among those which local campaigners are trying to protect.

A campaign has been launched to protect an ancient herd of wild goats on a moor in the south of Scotland amid an outcry about a cull.

The goats roam across Langholm Moor including 11,000 acres (4,450 ha) recently purchased by rewilding company Oxygen Conservation.

They say there has been a "massive increase" in the goat population since 2023 and they need to reduce numbers to allow trees to grow on the estate.

A cull which took place earlier this year has been paused and campaigners hope to prevent it re-starting by securing protected status for the ancient breed.

Experts say the Langholm goats appear to be a good example of a British primitive goat

The cull was stopped after an outcry among locals but Oxygen Conservation told BBC Scotland News they intend to resume later this year.

Campaigners dispute claims that the population of goats has increased markedly, insisting they are a vital part of the ecosystem which supports rare hen harriers.

David Braithwaite, an ecologist and sheep farmer from nearby Newcastleton, said he feared the cull would put the goats on "edge of extinction" and he said it was "completely unethical" to carry out the cull during the breeding season.

"We believe these goats have a place here, they've had a place here for thousands of years so why should they stop that now?" he said.

"They're properly part of the ecology of our hills, they support other wildlife, they're fantastic, people love them and adore them so let's give them some protection and let them get on peacefully with what they do best, which is living on their hillside."

Oxygen Conservation said a drone survey in October 2023 found there were 20 goats on the estate. A similar survey in January this year found there were 138.

"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," they said.

"If we don't manage numbers now, the growing goat population will have an increasingly negative impact on the environment."

However, opponents of the cull insist it is "biologically impossible" for goats to multiply at such a high rate.

Mr Braithwaite, a member of the newly-former Wild Goats Conservation Group, said the goats were hefted to a wide area of open moorland.

Hefted animals - like sheep in the Lake District - are accustomed and attached to a specific area of land and stay within that area without needing fences.

"And they roam, of course they do, they are quite nomadic," he said.

"They have this capricious browsing habit which takes them here and there looking for the nice juicy bits of nutritional food that they find and know exactly where to seek out on the hill in different seasons.

"[Oxygen Conservation] hasn't understood the herd, what the herd does and where the herd roams."

Langholm Moor in the south of Scotland covers many thousands of acres

Langholm Moor is a Special Protection Area for hen harriers, a rare species of bird which makes its home in uplands, farmland, wetlands and grasslands.

Mr Braithwaite said that by taking out tree saplings, they are ensuring that the moorland remains a "perfect habitat" for the birds of prey.

Sheila Goodyer, of British Primitive Goats Research Group, said they were not against the culling of goats but it should be done "after a full evaluation of the situation and at an appropriate time of year".

"Neither seems to be the case of the present cull on the Langholm goats," she said.

"On current phenotypic evidence [observable characteristics] the Langholm goats would seem to be a good example of the British Primitive goat and well worthy of protection and conservation," she added.

It is not illegal to cull goats in Scotland as long as animal welfare standards are followed, as they are not a protected species.

Campaigners hope to persuade Scottish government ministers to grant the animals that protection to "ensure their survival".

A petition to the Scottish Parliament - one of a number of petitions on the subject - has more then 1,200 signatures.

Oxygen Conservation purchased the moorland from Buccleuch estates in 2023.

They said their work was focused on "restoring habitats through extensive native woodland creation, alongside the restoration of peatlands, wetlands, heather moorlands, and species-rich grasslands".

"A key challenge in achieving this is the browsing pressure from sheep, deer, and goats which prevents natural regeneration," they added.

They said the decision to cull was taken after a lot of consideration.

"We know conservation is full of tough choices, and this one wasn't made lightly," they said.

"We took expert advice, explored all options, and ultimately, this is the step we need to take to bring long-term benefits to the landscape.

"At the same time, we're making sure that nothing goes to waste—ensuring the goat meat enters the food chain in a responsible way."

A Scottish government spokesman said: "No changes to the law are considered required at the moment.

"Anyone undertaking hunting in Scotland should be aware of their responsibilities under the law and best practice guides that already exist."