Goats let loose in New York park to munch on weeds

goats-in-manhattan-parkImage source, REUTERS/Roselle Chen
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Goats like this guy treat weeds like an all you can eat buffet!

When walking around a park there are certain things you expect to see, beautiful trees, a few ducks, maybe some flowers, but how about 24 goats?

Yes, two-dozen goats are running free in a park in Manhattan, New York.

Riverside Park has been loaned 24 goats from Green Goats farm to help tackle the overgrown weeds around the park.

Using goats to munch away at all the weeds taking over the park is an environmental win-win situation. The park rangers don't have to use harsh chemicals to get rid of them and the goats get a tasty snack!

Larry Cihanek, whose dad owns the goats said: "On top of how cute they are, not only can they eat a lot of their own body weight, but they'll actually neutralise the seeds so they won't get replanted next year."

Image source, REUTERS/Roselle Chen
Image caption,

The goats will make light work of the overgrown weeds

They have enjoyed snacking on Japanese knotweed, porcelain berry, poison ivy and multiflora rose - all very well known in the plant world as being hard to get rid of.

The goats arrival has been named 'Goatham' and a ceremony was even held, before setting them free to tackle the weeds!

Image source, REUTERS/Roselle Chen
Image caption,

Would you be as willing as these goats to eat YOUR greens?

Five of the 24 goats will stay at the park until the end of August, keeping up the good work.

Members of the public will be able to vote for their Greatest Of All Time or G.O.A.T, goat over the summer.

Buckles, Chalupa, Mallemar, Ms. Bo Peep and Skittles will all be competing for the title.

Isn't that just the cutest gardening story you've ever herd?