Moroccan Tree Goats Have Stolen Our Hearts and Our Fruit

By Erika Owen
August 29, 2016
Credit: Sven Hagolani/Getty Images
It’s logical to expect apples, leaves, beautiful springtime blooms, or even the random squirrel here and there to exist among the leafy shadows of trees around the world. But goats? That's not something you see everyday—unless you live in Morocco.

Argania, the plant argan oil comes from, is a rare species of tree you can find in Morocco. The trees are known for bearing a black, dry fruit that goats go crazy over.

The goats spend an average of 387 minutes per day grazing among these treetops, according to a study titled “Ingestive Behavior of Goats Graving in the Southwestern Argan (Argania Spinosa) Forest of Morocco.” That’s the same amount of time some people would call a full night’s rest.

These argan trees can grow up to 33 feet tall, and these fruit-seekers will happily go the extra mile to snack on the highest of branches. Farmers have caught on to this process and invest in these adventure-seeking goats to help them harvest the nuts, given that argan oil is one of the most in-demand liquids for cosmetics and culinary ingredients.
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