Feral goats (Capra hircus) are among the most abundant and widespread large feral herbivores in Australia. With a national population estimated at several million individuals, feral goats are found across vast areas of the arid and semi-arid rangelands, particularly in western New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland. Their voracious and indiscriminate browsing habits cause significant damage to native vegetation, accelerate soil erosion, and threaten the survival of rare and endangered plant species. Yet, uniquely among Australia’s feral animals, goats also represent a significant and growing commercial resource, with the harvesting and export of feral goat meat generating substantial revenue for rural communities.
Origins and Establishment
Domestic goats were first brought to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 and were subsequently imported in large numbers throughout the colonial period. Goats were valued as a reliable source of milk and meat, particularly in remote areas where cattle or sheep were difficult to maintain. They were also kept on ships as a source of fresh milk during long voyages, and it was common for goats to be released on offshore islands as a food reserve for future mariners.
Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, goats were widely kept by settlers, miners, and pastoral workers across the Australian interior. Escapes and deliberate releases were frequent, and feral populations became established in many areas. The hardy nature of the goat — its ability to survive on sparse vegetation, tolerate extreme heat, and go without water for extended periods — made it exceptionally well suited to the Australian outback environment.
By the mid-twentieth century, feral goat populations had become firmly established across the rangelands of southern and central Australia. Their numbers have fluctuated significantly in response to drought, management activities, and commercial harvesting, but the underlying population has proven remarkably resilient. Today, feral goats are found across approximately 28 per cent of the Australian mainland, with the highest densities occurring in the semi-arid pastoral zones of New South Wales and South Australia.
Environmental Impacts
The environmental damage caused by feral goats is substantial, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments where vegetation is slow to recover from grazing pressure. Goats are mixed feeders, meaning they browse on shrubs, trees, and woody plants as well as grazing on grasses and herbs. This dietary versatility means that goats can exploit a wider range of plant species than most native herbivores, placing pressure on vegetation communities that might otherwise be relatively resilient to grazing by native or domestic stock.
In rangeland environments, heavy goat browsing can prevent the regeneration of native shrubs and trees, leading to a progressive simplification of vegetation structure and a decline in overall biodiversity. Goats are particularly damaging to drought-stressed vegetation, as they continue to browse on shrubs and trees that other herbivores would avoid, stripping bark, consuming seedlings, and eventually killing mature plants. Research by the CSIRO has documented the impact of goat browsing on key rangeland plant species, including mulga, native pines, and various species of acacia and chenopod shrubs.
Feral goats also cause significant damage to rocky habitats, including cliff faces, gorges, and rocky outcrops that provide important habitat for native species such as rock-wallabies, native plants, and reptiles. The yellow-footed rock-wallaby, one of Australia’s most charismatic and endangered marsupials, has been particularly affected by competition with feral goats for food and shelter in its rocky hillside habitat. The removal of feral goats from key rock-wallaby habitat has been shown to result in rapid recovery of wallaby populations, demonstrating the significant suppressive effect that goat competition exerts on this threatened species.
Soil erosion is another significant consequence of feral goat activity. By removing ground cover and compacting soil with their hooves, goats contribute to accelerated erosion in areas that are already vulnerable due to low rainfall and sparse vegetation. In steep or sloping terrain, goat trails can create channels that concentrate water flow during rainfall events, leading to gully erosion and the loss of topsoil from critical catchment areas.
Competition with Native Species
Feral goats compete directly with native herbivores for food and water, and this competition can be a significant factor in the decline of native species, particularly during drought when resources are scarce. In addition to the yellow-footed rock-wallaby, species such as the brush-tailed rock-wallaby, the black-flanked rock-wallaby, and various species of euro and wallaroo are affected by competition with feral goats.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water recognises the competition and land degradation by feral goats as a key threatening process under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This listing acknowledges the significant and ongoing threat that feral goats pose to Australia’s native biodiversity and provides a framework for coordinated management action at the national level.
Commercial Harvesting
One of the most distinctive aspects of the feral goat issue in Australia is the significant commercial value of the feral goat harvest. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of goat meat, and a substantial proportion of this export comes from feral goats harvested from the rangelands. The feral goat meat industry generates hundreds of millions of dollars in export revenue each year, with major markets in the United States, Canada, Taiwan, South Korea, and the Caribbean.
For many pastoral properties in western New South Wales and other rangeland regions, the harvesting of feral goats has become a significant and sometimes essential source of income. Professional goat harvesters muster feral goats using vehicles, motorcycles, and dogs, and transport them to processing facilities where they are slaughtered and prepared for export. The income derived from goat harvesting can help to sustain pastoral enterprises during drought years when income from traditional livestock such as sheep and cattle is reduced.
However, the commercial value of feral goats creates a tension with environmental management objectives. Some landholders are reluctant to reduce goat numbers on their properties because of the income they generate, even though high goat densities may be causing significant environmental damage. Balancing the economic benefits of the feral goat industry with the need to protect native ecosystems is one of the key challenges facing rangeland management in Australia.
Management Strategies
A range of management strategies are employed to control feral goat populations, including mustering and commercial harvest, aerial shooting, trapping at water points, exclusion fencing, and Judas goat techniques. The Judas goat method involves fitting a radio collar to a captured goat and releasing it back into the wild, where it naturally seeks out and joins other feral goats. Managers can then use the radio signal to locate and remove groups of goats that might otherwise be difficult to find in remote and rugged terrain.
Cluster fencing — the construction of large-scale exclusion fences around groups of properties — has emerged as an increasingly popular approach to managing both feral goats and other pest animals such as kangaroos and wild dogs. By excluding feral goats from fenced areas, landholders can protect pastures and native vegetation while still allowing commercial harvesting of goats outside the fenced area. The Invasive Species Council supports integrated management approaches that combine commercial harvesting with targeted control activities to achieve both economic and environmental outcomes.
Looking Forward
The management of feral goats in Australia will continue to require a nuanced approach that balances environmental protection with economic realities. The commercial goat industry provides valuable income for rural communities, but this must not come at the expense of Australia’s native biodiversity and landscape health. By investing in integrated management programmes that combine commercial harvest with targeted environmental control, and by supporting research into more effective management tools and strategies, Australia can work towards a future where the impacts of feral goats are managed sustainably and the ecological values of the rangelands are protected for future generations.
The feral goat story illustrates both the challenges and the opportunities inherent in managing invasive species in Australia. Unlike many other pest animals, the commercial value of feral goats creates a pathway for management that can deliver economic benefits alongside environmental outcomes. Realising this potential will require cooperation between landholders, industry, government, and conservation organisations, all working together towards a shared vision of healthy, productive, and biodiverse rangelands.