Rent-a-Goat

08/03/2009

When you're a threatened bog turtle, living near the highway can be a dangerous thing. Not only do you risk getting squashed on the road when you leave your wetland habitat to lay your eggs on land, you've got to contend with the highway department and their industrial sized lawn mowers that can easily chop you up.

The solution? Goats. That's right. The Maryland State Highway Department has enlisted a herd of 40 goats to graze the grass as an alternative to using lawn mowers. Unlike gasoline-powered mowers--or larger grazers such as cattle that could crush a bog turtle by shear force of weight--goats don't pose any risk to the reptiles and are pollution-free.

While using goats to save threatened turtles might be a first, renting goats to control invasive weeds, remove brush or to "mow" in places that machines can't reach is the new rage. In some places, goats are used to help control wildfires. There are even some websites dedicated to helping folks find goats in their area with fun names like goatfinder.com, goatlady.org and rent-a-ruminant.com.

Odd but true.

VIDEO: See Rent-A-Goats in action!

Comments

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nice....the lamb is so cute

Posted by: singapore product food photographers | 08/04/2009 at 08:34 PM

That is the coolest thing ever!!! I want a goat now...they are cute and I won't have to mow the lawn anymore. But how do they keep the goats from roaming into the traffic when they are used along state highways?

Posted by: Lauren Boyle | 08/15/2009 at 11:43 PM