Yes, these are what it's all about - the increasingly rare native breed of Irish Goat. Without a bit of help they could soon be history.May 2008 Bulletin
The period from late summer 2007 to May 2008 has been a very challenging one from our point of view, but not without some achievements.
In September, about 30 feral goats were removed from Slievenaglasha, in the Burren, although our members were able to remove a few selected old type goats from the collection pen for conservation, by agreement with the collectors. Unfortunately no mutual understanding was established, and 2 weeks or so later we were appalled to discover that the large herd based on the hills between Black Head and Ballyvaughan had also been rounded up. This herd was known to contain some of the best old breed goats in the Burren. We have not yet been able to find out if some remain, due to the wide range they covered, but fear that almost all are gone. Given that many of these goats were ‘old breed’ in appearance and that it was well known that stock were needed for our conservation program, the removal of this herd can only be described as an act of vandalism.
Over the weekend of 22nd September, Raymond Werner of the UK Feral Goat Research Group joined us for an expedition to select heritage stock. Between this and other opportune events we were able by October to have a herd of 30 selected specimens of Old Irish type goat in the 10ha. conservation enclosure at McCormacks’ farm in Lackareagh. Many of these have been DNA sampled and information from these tests is awaited.
Unfortunately it is now obvious that these few goats are the only feral type goats in the Burren which enjoy any security at present. A herd of 30 animals which had been based on Mullaghmore in the Burren National Park were recently (12th April) removed when they were found on nearby farm lands. The removal by lorry was witnessed and a report has been given to local Gardai and the Department of Agriculture, however the civil powers seem as always reluctant to become involved.
We are currently considering how best to step up our campaign for some regulation of goat culling before all ferals are eradicated on the Burren, or at least the remaining Old Irish stock, which are now scarcer than ever.
It has long seemed to us that the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC already contains the necessary powers, in the context of regulating any activity that may have an effect on SAC’s (i.e. most of the Burren uplands) in Art.6, Para.3:
3. Any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site's conservation objectives. In the light of the conclusions of the assessment of the implications for the site and subject to the provisions of paragraph 4, the competent national authorities shall agree to the plan or project only after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the site concerned and, if appropriate, after having obtained the opinion of the general public.
In practice this should mean that culling feral goats is a Notifiable Action which cannot legally proceed without permission of the competent authority, i.e. the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is certainly reasonable to argue that the removal of thousands of feral goats over the last few years is “likely to have a significant effect thereon” and that therefore any smaller cull is an incremental part of that overall effect.
