As United Kingdom (UK) goes on Lockdown over COVID-19, Wild Goats have taken over the streets and residents are finding it exciting.
A herd of wild goats is living it up on the deserted streets of the Welsh seaside town of Llandudno while residents stay indoors to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
On a normal day, the herd of roughly 120 Kashmiri goats only ventures into town from the nearby Great Orme headland during bad weather but with the coast cleared of people, the goats are out and about town nibbling on hedges and gardens.
“They are curious, goats are, and I think they are wondering what’s going on like everybody else,” town councillor Carol Marubbi told BBC.
She said locals were proud of the animals and had been enjoying the “free entertainment” from their windows.
“There isn’t anyone else around so they probably decided they may as well take over,” she said.
The wild goats normally live on the rocky Great Orme, but have descended on the town as streets empty of residents and tourists due to quarantine measures.
The goats normally live on the rocky Great Orme, but have descended on the town as streets empty of residents and tourists due to quarantine measures.
Andrew Stuart, who works for the Manchester Evening News, has stepped up to the role of “goat correspondent” (per his Twitter bio) after a number of his photos and videos of the herd went viral.
According to a lengthy tweet thread started last week, Stuart said he originally called the police on the goats for running riot in the town, snacking on hedges in the dark of night and not appearing to abide by social distancing measures.
“I think I just got a group of goats in Llandudno arrested”, he tweeted.
Let me explain… first, I saw this from inside a dark pub (the one I live in currently). I thought I was seeing things. So I took some video:
I think I just got a group of goats in Llandudno arrested.
Let me explain… first, I saw this from inside a dark pub (the one I live in currently). I thought I was seeing things. So I took some video: pic.twitter.com/RtxYG6htLC
— Andrew Stuart (@AndrewStuart) March 27, 2020
So I gave @NWPolice a call to tell them a load of kids (geddit?) were running riot (I didn’t actually say that… sadly). They said they’d pass it on to officers.
And they sent a patrol car down who turned on the big red lights. So, I’m sorry if the goats got arrested. But they were being very naughty.
Also, close the gates behind you on the Orme.
And stay 2m apart at all times.
Anyways, by Tuesday, the goats appeared to have settled in and were continuing to provide entertainment for those in the town and following them online.
@errroding tweeted, “I haven’t painted at all since we were told to social distance, but yesterday…. it was this photo that made me pick up the paintbrush. Thank you Llandudno Goat Gang and @AndrewStuart for the goat content 🐐
One local hotel, the Landsdowne House Llandudno, bemoaned the fact it had no guests except for members of the herd, who “expect to stay and eat for free!”
“At least they use the parking white lines to respect 2m Social Distancing!” the hotel wrote.
