Almeria goats reduce fire risk

AROUND 16,500 head of sheep and goats provide Almeria Province with ready-made firebreaks.
Andalucia’s government imported the use of flocks to keep down undergrowth from France in 2005. This is now widely practised throughout the region in areas at risk from forest fire, particularly during the summer months.
The controlled grazing scheme provides regular work for local shepherds and goatherds, while providing free forage for the animals. Using “cabra-bomberos” (fire goats) is environmentally-friendly, favouring conservation and biodiversity.
Better still, it reduces the need to introduce machinery and lowers by 75 per cent the cost of using more labour-intensive ways of keeping firebreaks clear.
The Junta de Andalucia has renewed its annual agreement with 26 owners of Almeria flocks although this year’s total of 16,500 goats and sheep is slightly lower than that of previous years.