Goat Update 2: Olympic National Park
The population of mountain goats has gone from 20 to the thousands to 300 to 623 at last count. The NPS wants to airlift them out.
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UPDATE: The comment period has been extended until October 10.
The National Park Service is accepting comments for its goat-removal plans until September 26—but there is a front-runner that sounds worthy of James Bond. A marksman would shoot a tranquilizing dart or net from a helicopter over a target goat, and then a “mugger” would jump out and subdue the animal. The offending goat would be slung up by helicopter, crated, and driven by refrigerated truck to the North Cascades. After a few years, goats in terrain too tough for the muggers would be shot. Yay? Nay? The Seattle Times digs into the controversy here.