Real or fake? The answer is: mostly real, but with a dash of fake.
Moroccan goats are indeed known for their unique ability to climb trees, particularly the Argania trees found in southwestern Morocco.
The fruit of that particular tree is a key source of nutrition for them. It has a pulpy, fleshy exterior surrounding a hard nut, and the goats are adept at navigating the tree branches to reach the fruit. They have adapted to the environment by developing strong, flexible hooves and an excellent sense of balance.
The goats love the flesh, but they do not like the seeds. After eating the fruit, they regurgitate and spit out the hard nuts, thereby dispersing them and aiding in the propagation of the trees.
The nuts are also vital to the local economy. Argan oil, extracted from the nuts, is a valuable commodity known for its culinary and cosmetic uses.
But, back to the photograph.
The sight of goats perched on tree branches is truly a very weird and wonderful thing to behold. Visitors to Morocco have long flocked to the roads outside Marrakech to take photographs of these climbing goats in action. Such pictures are widely shared on social media and often decorate the pages of guide books to Morocco.
But, there’s a twist. Not all of the goats that you see pictured in trees are happy to be there, and the insatiable appetite that tourists have for this money shot has led to at least one shepherd turning one particular “goat tree” into a perpetual photo shoot with goats forcibly placed on various branches to create the perfect goats-in-trees picture, for which he has been collecting tips from tourists.
Thankfully, the authorities have since shut this down, and now the only Moroccan goats that you’ll find in trees are the ones that really want to be there.
On the Hoof is a short film by young filmmaker Alex Jones. Check it out HERE.
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References
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/moroccos-tree-climbing-goats
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/morocco-argan-oil-trees-spitting-goats
https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/iconic-treeclimbing-goats-of-morocco-revealed-to-be-a-scam-20190424-h1dqsk.html
Images
1. Goats in Trees: The Money Shot
2. Goats in Trees. Credit: National Geographic.
3. Argania spinosa
4. Moroccan extraction of oil from argan nuts
5. Actual goats in trees in the wild
6. Video: On the Hoof: Why Moroccan goats REALLY climb trees, Alex Jones, 2024
