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Morocco's Nimble Goats
By Meera Dolasia on 09/23/2011
Goats grazing on precariously steep hillsides are a common sight, but perched high atop the branches of a tree? That's a sight you will only see if you go all the way to the North African country of Morocco.
The nimble animals are not a special species, just normal goats that have learned to adapt to the country's arid environment, where their main source of nutrition comes from the tiny berries that grow on the Aragan tree.
Since the trees are sometimes as high as 30 feet, the only way the goats can get to the berries, is by scaling up. Over the years, they have not only figured out how to climb, but also prance around nimbly from branch to branch like ballerinas.
While the climbing goats are themselves fascinating, what is even more interesting is what happens with the goat 'poop' after they have eaten the Aragan berries. The dried-up droppings are collected by the locals, who wash them and then grind and press them to extract oil - used for cooking and cosmetic purposes.
Though the whole thing may sound a little gross, Aragan oil is reputed to be very healthy and highly coveted, with a quarter liter of good 'quality' oil retailing for as much as $50!
Summary Paragraph
When tourists arrive to visit Africa, they might think of seeing camels, gorillas or even zebras, but who would have thought that the most interesting animals would be goats? The article Morocco’s Nimble Goats by Meera Dolasia reveals that these resourceful creatures create quite a show when they climb up into the trees to reach their food. There aren’t many other ways for the goats to get food in this dry area, so they climb up into the Aragan trees to feed on the berries that grow there. Their ability to move carefully, almost like trapeze artists along the branches, is an amazing sight. Not only that, but because of their special diet, their droppings draw the attention of the locals too, because they can be used to create valuable products. These clever goats give new meaning to the phrase “hanging out” in Africa.