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.