Healing Hooves' herd of 250 goats and sheep starts around $700 and Rent-A-Ruminant offers 15-, 60- or 120-goat herds for $250 to $725 a day. Here’s some directions in case you want to drop by. Have you done something on a trip you later regretted for ethical reasons? They actually help in the production of one of Morocco’s most valuable products: argan oil, dubbed "desert gold". Kew’s second Director, Sir Joseph Hooker, had a keen interest in argan trees. Answer 1 of 24: Hello everyone, i ll be travelling to Morocco on 10th of November, i would love to see the Argan tree goats while im there. https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/tree-goats-of-morocco-argan-oil Moroccan argan oil is made from the seed of the Argania Spinosa (Argan Tree), a native to the Souss-Massa-Drâa region of Morocco and Algeria. Itinerary Your journey starts with pick up from your hotel or accommodation, our team will drive you to the starting point “Goats in Argan Welcome to {{displayDomain}} , a US site operated by Expedia, Inc., a Washington corporation. There is an abundance of the argan tree in the Souss Massa Draa region outside Marrakech, an area very popular with tourists. According to my experience, the Argan trees and goats are to be found down along the coast in the vicinity of and south of Agadir.. Argan forest areas in Morocco have declined considerably in size in the past 100 years (excessive deforestation … In fact, the owner placed the goats we saw in the argan tree on little stands for visitors to photograph, which I obligingly did. But the seeds of the argan trees that these goats graze on are about an inch long and a half-inch across — too big for a goat to pass. This is not some kind of special, capable of levitating rock – is the most common, almost standard goats. Once upon a time these nimble goats climbed up argan trees to eat the fruit. Arabic and French for government purposes make up the other two. Since our visit to Morocco occurred in September, we visited an outlet for rose products. Argan Tree Goats of Morocco Morocco is the only country in the world where domestic goats graze off the ground and in the trees. The Argania tree is not the most aesthetically pleasing plant in the world with a rough, thorny bark and gangly, crooked branches. In a letter to his wife from May 1871, he wrote about these “remarkable little trees” and was struck by the sight of tree-climbing goats. Incidentally, we hired a Berber guide whose insights opened up fresh ways to experience Morocco. The festival opens with a blanket of rose petals covering the streets and continues for three days with dancers and musicians performing, and perfume afficionados buying supplies. They eat (nearly) everything and their poop is tiny, easily compostable and it was previously used in the production of argan oil. Yes, this surprised me, but I wasn’t  astonished. When travelling in the South of Morocco, specifically in Souss, You may come across rather an unusual sight goats perched on the branches of Argan trees, happily munching on fruit. Thousands of new, high-quality pictures added every day. "Also, having so many goats in one place threatens the sustainability of the trees as their hooves damage the branches. In some parts of Morocco, goats can be found perched on the branches of argan trees, nibbling away at their fruit and leaves. Today is National Voter Registration Day! You've goat to see these billies and does. Kew’s second Director, Sir Joseph Hooker, had a keen interest in argan trees. Goats Of The Argan Trees. Below, you can see the spout of the stone grinder with the valuable oil dripping into a pot. Popular accounts say … The Atlas beetle can push around 850 times its weight. The goats perform more than a balancing act, though. The Argan Tree and Its Oil Tales Of Goats And The Argan Tree…. From there, further processing turns it into Amlou. Only then will these adorable, economically interesting, ecologically compromising ungulates be let back to nibble away up in the trees, and then produce that precious, precious poop. I am not a medical doctor. Part of HuffPost News. Find argan tree goat stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. Apparently the goats like to feast on the leaves of argan trees and are amazingly able to climb them quite easily. Afterward, I tested some argan oil products on my skin and . Argan tree (Argania spinosa) seeds are the source of argan oil, which is used as a cooking oil and in the cosmetics industry. Goats in trees. We’ll long remember Amine for his humor, generosity, and intelligent responses. The inner kernel passes through their gut and is excreted, whereupon the Morocans pick it up and crush it for the oil. Our tour guide Youssef explained that this tourist attraction was simply called “goats on a tree” – and that is exactly what you got! There you may or may not get lucky as the goats climb the trees at their own whim but you will at least know that no goat suffered for a picture. The company pays the women directly, which allows them the dignity of earning money to provide for their own independence. Whereas humans don’t benefit from the fruits, goats relish the pulpy fruits that cover the tough outer skin. And if it had been June when the argan fruit is ripe, we’d have seen local goats thoroughly enjoying themselves in the trees without the farmer’s insistence. If you keen to see the real argan tree goats take the road from Agadir to Essaouira. In Morocco, goats will climb trees and stand on the branches to eat the leaves and fruits, which has the unfortunate consequence of stunting upward tree growth. The woman’s left hand covers the hole in the stone where she drops the nuts. On our trip to Essaouira, we also came across one tree full of goats and a goat herder collecting money to take pictures of his goats. Tamri goats climbing argan tree with goat herders in the semi desert in Morocco. Michael Chinnici/PHOTO WORKSHOP ADVENTURES, Michael Chinnici/Photo Workshop Adventures, which are collected, processed and turned into very expensive cosmetics and food, argan oil is mostly manufactured by hand now, looked at some of the nerdier aspects of argan oil. Maybe I can time it right and travel from the roses to the argan forests and see goats munching nuts in the trees. And Lybbert found that even absent goats, human beings also resort to environmentally unfriendly argan harvesting techniques, that are bad for the forests. When I saw the goats in argan trees, we were driving the 207 highway in Morocco from Ouarzazate toward Essaouira. You can see I didn’t make it out empty-handed. The inner kernel passes through their gut and is excreted, whereupon the Morocans pick it up and crush it for the oil. Argan oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. The tree is native to southern Morocco, where it grows in open forests up to an altitude of more than 5,000 feet. There is an abundance of the argan tree in the Souss Massa Draa region outside Marrakech, an area very popular with tourists. On another positive note, the goats are engaged in a self-marination process as their flesh takes on the wonderful aroma of argan. Tamri goats climbing argan tree with goat herders in the semi desert in Morocco. Goats climb argan trees in order to eat their black olive-like fruits. These evergreen trees, also known as Berber for the region in which they are found, are the sole species of the Argania family. In south-western Morocco, acrobatic goats climb argan trees to eat their fruit and leaves. But, you would think, better for the trees. But the seeds of the argan trees that these goats graze on are about an inch long and a half-inch across — too big for a goat to pass. They are a thorny evergreen variety that grow in drought-ridden areas…they are hearty. The people collected the nuts the goats left littered underneath and ground them up to extract the oil. Like what a growing market for the oil does to a Moroccan household's finances, and what the goats are doing to the environment. It has a bit of a gritty or maybe I should say chewy taste, earthy, gently sweet, and utterly delicious. Which is all well and good. They are so eager to munch on argan fruit that, after eating the low-hanging fruit, the goats actually scramble up the spiny trees to reach the higher fruit. Image of eating, balance, tree - 8483961 The goats eat the argan nuts for the nutritious qualities of the outer nut. The downside to this economic boon is that it leads to families buying more tree-climbing goats, which can be very bad for Morocco's argan forests. Their destructive habits in the forests softened my feelings about the machines. The fruit contains an indigestible nut that is collected and used to create oil for food and pricey cosmetics. Some producers remove the flesh mechanically without drying the fruit. It shows the country's famous goats, who climb high into argan trees to eat fruit and leaves. Editor’s note: This is an updated version of a story originally posted on March 17, 2010. I understand now why the west uses it in all sorts of cuisine. Find the perfect argan tree goat stock photo. Nope, your eyes aren't going baa-d. What you're seeing here is indeed a tree full of goats. But children, which is to say human kids, are doing their parts for both the economy and the environment by keeping the goats grounded -- until the tourists pay up. Apparently the goats like to feast on the leaves of argan trees and are amazingly able to climb them quite easily. But these Moroccan trees still tend to … They will graze both beneath the tree and up in its aerial leaves. Photo about Black and white goats in Argan tree, Morocco. (b) argan is often called Berber gold. Find goats argan tree stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. Answer: (a) the Berbers of Morocco are indigenous people similar to the First Nations people of North America. Shortly after our goats-in-tree sighting, we stopped at a women’s cooperative that employs survivors of abuse in the production of argan oil. In some parts of Morocco, argan takes the place of the olive as a source of forage, oil, timber, and fuel in Berber society. On our trip to Essaouira, we also came across one tree full of goats and a goat herder collecting money to take pictures of his goats. Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter, Animal Welfare Editor, The Huffington Post. The tree the goats are in is an evergreen argan tree. It is found mostly only in Morocco. I don't know how you will be travelling, but I suppose renting a car would be ideal. Goats in Morocco do climb trees naturally, and help to create argan oil in the process — they eat the trees' fruit, and then release nuts through their waste. While the fruit of the argan tree is inedible to humans, goats love it. The inner kernel passes through their gut and is excreted, whereupon the Morocans pick it up and crush it for the oil. More down on the ground, Lybbert said he's also heartened to see other countries, like Israel, dipping their toes -- if not their goats -- into argan tree growing and oil production, which may lead to  the development of some more sustainable practices. Fun fact: As much as 84 percent of the goats' diet can be fruit and leaves, according to a study in the journal Small Ruminant Research. The trees are argan, and their unlikely companions are goats. This video was taken in southwestern Morocco by photographer Michael Chinnici (who leads Moroccan photo tours, so you can see and capture this magical sight yourself!). The cloven-hoofed goats in Morocco only climb one particular type of tree: the Argania spinosa, typically referred to as the argan tree. After this introduction to argan, shall we see how you do on this little quiz? Gayathri Krishnan. However, Gekoski believes that argan oil harvested by Moroccan locals is more ethical. On another positive note, the goats are engaged in a self-marination process … Well, maybe Moroccan kids and tourists together can help fix this problem, at least a little bit. These trees can grow up to 30 feet (about 10 meters) tall, and the goats will climb as high as it takes in their quest for a tasty morsel. Goats. With such sightings of goats in unlikely places, the one seemed to normalize the other somewhat. . No need to register, buy now! The tree … According to some sources, in response to increased demand for the product, argan oil is mostly manufactured by hand now, in large part by all-female argan oil cooperatives. In September, however, the goats had nothing to eat and I felt kind of sorry for them having to stand there all day with nothing to do. Definitely check out more photos and videos of the tree-climbing goats on Michael Chinnici's website. The tree reaches heights of 25-30 feet, and has a knobby, twisted trunk that allows for goat climbers. A lesser-known talent of some goats is the ability to climb trees, even fairly tall ones, and stand on small branches that look like they can barely hold their weight. It can be more than entertaining–it can be positively revelatory! “This way is harder but the quality is better,” one such worker, Aicha Amsquine, told the Global Post. Initially, I lamented the modernization. They wear a head covering because the oil press procedure is done behind a glassed-in area to help reduce dust and other impurities. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. . The oil comes from the nuts of argan trees, and humans aren't the only ones interested in getting a piece of the action. Any suggestion, how and where to go to see the goats? These days, however, machinery often replaces goats in larger operations, especially those selling argan oil for food. They are a thorny evergreen variety that grow in drought-ridden areas…they are hearty. After the goats have digested the fruit, they expel pits which contain kernels that are ground to produce a highly valuable, nutty argan oil. No need to register, buy now! Dromedar61 [CC by 2.0]/Wikimedia Commons. All rights reserved. . The goats on a tree just doing their thing – being goats on a tree! Because food in this region is scarce, the goats have adapted to climb the argan trees for their bright yellow, olive-sized fruit. Allow a little digression: The focus on tree-climbing goats tends to be on how cute they are (i.e., very), and how interesting it is that something so valuable -- argan has been called the world's most expensive edible oil -- pops out of their behind. Whereas humans don’t benefit from the fruits, goats relish the pulpy fruits that cover the tough outer skin. The Goat Lady also offers herds of up to 100 goats. The goats in Morocco's argan forest have an extraordinary skill. It ends with the election of Miss Roses. This constitutes the traditional harvesting method, particularly used for cosmetic purposes. You could easily find a dozen goats standing on the branches of a single tree. Goat herders lead their flocks through the argan (Argania spinosa) forests, where the animals can clamber up trees 8 to 10 metres high and strip them nearly bare. And get in touch at arin.greenwood@huffingtonpost.com if you have an animal story to share! More than a hundred questions for initiating interesting conversations. In the Semi-arid desert regions of Southwest Morocco grow Argania or Argan trees, a very ancient species of trees that date back to the Tertiary period. Professor Travis Lybbert, from the University of California, Davis, looked at some of the nerdier aspects of argan oil. Find the perfect argan tree goats stock photo. At least that's the traditional method. https://www.cbsnews.com/video/why-are-there-goats-in-the-trees Your Argan Tree Goats stock images are ready. In some parts of Morocco, goats can be found perched on the branches of argan trees, nibbling away at their fruit and leaves. Goats in Argan Argania spinosa tree as seen in Morocco. you see those shopping baskets under the Amlou sign? On another positive note, the goats are engaged in a self-marination process as their flesh takes on the wonderful aroma of argan. The nut contains the argan oil in a very hard shell, however, and the goats cannot digest it. For many years I traveled to the south of Morocco, in the Souss area where the Argan trees forest is and I never saw a goat on a tree. There you may or may not get lucky as the goats climb the trees at their own whim but you will at least know that no goat suffered for a picture. Go to Travel Tips to download your copy. Moroccans usually use the flesh as animal feed. The goats eat the argan nuts for the nutritious qualities of the outer nut. After all, just last spring I saw goats on a yurt roof in Coombs, British Columbia. It's a Darwinian talent goats developed to reach argan fruit. Thousands of new, high-quality pictures added every day. Question #2: What do goats and cosmetics have in common? Goats in Argan Argania spinosa tree as seen in Morocco. Berbers make up about 40% of the population of Morocco and their language constitutes one of three official state languages. Rather, families buy them as "the primary store of wealth" -- living, breathing, tree-climbing (and ruining, sometimes) commodities that can be sold or eaten, if not otherwise useful, he explained. The goats have developed the ability to climb up into the argan trees in order to eat the fruit. Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. If you keen to see the real argan tree goats take the road from Agadir to Essaouira. These days not a lot but it is said that once upon a time it was common for Tamri goats, also known as the Moroccan mountain goat, to feast upon the fruits of the Moroccan argan oil tree. To extract the kernels, workers first dry argan fruit in the open air and then remove the fleshy pulp. The nut passes directly through the goat’s intestinal tract, excreted in the manure, and subsequently picked up by the argan farmers. Nowadays they put the goats up in the trees for the tourists and use an industrial method to extract the oil from the nuts. The cloven-hoofed goats in Morocco only climb one particular type of tree: the Argania spinosa, typically referred to as the argan tree. The trees are argan, and their unlikely companions are goats. What now? They are so eager to munch on argan fruit that, after eating the low-hanging fruit, the goats actually scramble up the spiny trees to reach the higher fruit. If processing argan oil by hand means the buying and herding of fewer goats, you might think this would lead in turn to fewer goats in trees. Under the Amlou sign amount of whimsy and delight in the Souss Draa. Roses to the argan tree goat stock images in HD and millions of royalty-free... 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