Chateauneuf-les-Martigues, a town of 18,000 near Marseille, hosts an estimated 2,000 wild goats. Fifteen years ago the herd numbered only a couple of dozen. A believed origin is that a pair of goats escaped or were abandoned decades ago and became feral, then bred. Goats strip gardens bare and cause accidents and near-misses by wandering on local roads and the nearby motorway. Residents report goats running around corners and standing in the middle of roads. Goats have started moving closer to Marseille and are entering gardens and homes on city outskirts. Local officials and residents are demanding population control measures.
The goats have been part of the town for decades, but while 15 years ago there were only a couple of dozen, now their numbers have multiplied and there are "around 2,000", according to Chateauneuf-les-Martigues mayor Jean-Baptiste Saglietti. Although their origin is uncertain, it's widely believed that a pair of goats either escaped or were abandoned some decades ago, began a new life as feral animals and started to breed.
While locals had become used to them wandering along the quiet streets of Chateauneuf-les-Martigues, they have recently begun travelling further afield and wandering along roads, including the nearby motorway. "We often have to stop because they come running around corners and stand in the middle of the road," said Emma Trezzy, 20. "When my friends come to visit, I tell them to be careful," adds the childcare assistant, who lives in Le Rove, about 15 kilometres from Marseille.
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