Marhabaan (hello) from the beautiful country of Morocco. If you're studying abroad this fall, whether you're in Morocco or not, if you plan on visiting, there is one activity that you absolutely have to see: the tree-climbing goats of Morocco.
No, this is not photoshopped, those goats are really up in a tree. These goats are the same ones that scale steep mountains and cliffs for food, and that's the same reason they climb these trees.
This unique phenomenon almost only happens in Morocco because these goats are attracted to the Argania Tree. The tree produces fruit yearly that attracts hoards of goats to climb its limbs and eat the fruit. Because the goats have two toes on each foot, it makes it perfect for them to cling onto the branches and balance high up in the trees to feed on the fruit that ripens annually.
The goat's started out as a step in the Moroccan Argan Oil production, their excrement would fall under the trees, filled with important seeds from the fruits they eat. That feces and seed combo was then crushed into some of the oils we buy in US stores. Sadly, because of the growth in popularity, the demand for argan oil has risen and these trees are in danger of being completely foraged like the one below. However, because they have been gaining popularity and creating profit for the farmers and land owners that have the Argania Trees, more and more have been brought into the area to bring in tourist money.
So if you find yourself in Morocco any time soon, venture to the Southwest and find these fury, climbing friends everywhere you look and snap your very own goat-in-a-tree picture.
