THREE new arrivals have joined the goats grazing Bournemouth’s East Cliff.
One of the goats, which have been on the East Cliff since late 2019, has had three kids.
A spokesperson for BCP Council said: “We are delighted to confirm that one of our goats has had three babies.
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“The kids are boy triplets and are doing well. They and their mother will go off to have some extra care initially to make sure they remain strong and healthy.
“When the kids have become less reliant on their mother’s milk they will all be returned to the cliffs.
“Can we also emphasise that the goats on the cliffs are well looked after and have all the food they need and so we request that people do not feed them.”
British feral goats have been grazing an area of the cliff at Honeycombe Chine in Boscombe and the council said the area has benefitted from an increase in butterflies and lizards, grass cover and native grassland habitats.
As a result, they were put on the East Cliff as part of the council’s commitment to the climate and ecological emergency.
At the time, a BCP Council spokesperson said: “Our cliffs are a valuable habitat for an amazing variety of animals and plants, some of which are very rare.
“Unfortunately, large areas of the cliffs have become dominated by invasive, non-native vegetation to the detriment of natural habitats.
“If we do nothing, we will eventually lose a unique wildlife resource.
“In 2012, a conservation management plan was written and approved. This enabled us to enter into a 10-year environmental stewardship agreement with Natural England that provides funding to carry out work to restore the natural features of the cliffs.
“As we have demonstrated at Honeycombe Chine near Boscombe Pier, grazing with goats is a very effective and sustainable way of achieving this aim.”
The goats caused quite a stir with residents on the East Cliff after a six-foot-high fence was erected to keep them on the cliff.
The fence was reduced in height after residents complained it was ruining the sea view.
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