Randy goats put on the Pill

by Nick Webster. Published Sat 09 May 2009 06:54, Last updated: 2009-05-09

Goats on the Great Orme

Queen Victoria would be "not amused" and even shocked... the descendants of a pair of randy goats she was given are being put on the PILL!

A herd of more than 180 Kashmiri goats run wild and damage vegetation on the picturesque Great Orme Head, at Llandudno, North Wales.

But plans to have large numbers shot to reduce the size of the herd have been shelved and the male goats are instead to be given contraceptive pills.

The goats all descend from an original breeding pair given to Queen Victoria by the Shah of Persia as a wedding present. Two of their offspring were released on the Orme around 1880.

Since then they have constantly bred and their ever-increasing numbers are now having a dire affect on the landscape and other wildlife.

A decision was made to reduce the numbers by almost half to keep the animals well fed and healthy but a cull was quickly opposed by local residents and Conwy County Council came up with the alternative method.

A spokeswoman for the council's Countryside Service said: "The population numbers are important and have to be kept in control to ensure the health of the animals.

"We are going to put the majority of the nannies on the contraception drug which will stop breeding for the time being.

"A small number will also be moved to other suitable locations around the country."