Tree-Climbing Goats: A bizarre spectacle unfolds daily in Morocco’s sun-scorched plains. Goats climb trees like seasoned acrobats, teetering on thin branches to feast on fruit high above the ground. It looks impossible, almost like a trick of nature, but this daring behaviour hides a secret: survival, nourishment and an unexpected role in saving the forest.
The trees they climb are argan trees, which are found only in Morocco’s Sous Valley. Their branches carry small and olive-like fruits with a sweet and succulent pulp. During the dry season, when food on the ground grows scarce, they ascend the trees, reaching heights of eight to ten metres. Their hooves hold firm, they stay perfectly balanced and the best fruits are right within reach.
But the story does not end there. Each argan fruit contains a nut, which is both the seed for new trees and the source of Morocco’s prized argan oil. Goats cannot digest these hard nuts. Some drop them, others leave them in their droppings. In both cases, the seeds have a chance to germinate, giving new trees a start in the harsh desert environment. Inadvertently, the goats become forest gardeners.
Farmers understand this cycle well. After the goats finish their feast, they collect the nuts, pressing them into the oil that travels from Morocco to kitchens and beauty cabinets worldwide.
So next time you picture a goat perched high among branches, it is not only a quirky sight. It is a small and four-legged guardian of a rare and treasured forest. These climbing goats feed, balance and help the argan trees thrive.