Even if you never visited Morocco, chances are you might have seen the peculiar photos of the goats on trees. A tree full of goats is a striking sight. It looks almost unnatural, as if someone placed the goats there for a photo shoot. The Argania tree is easily recognizable by its fuzzy and crooked branches, as well as its rough and thorny bark.
As incredible as this may sound, the goats actually climb these trees on their own. And they even seem to have a good time up there. But you should know that these are not just any trees. These are the much sought-after Argania Spinosa, known as Argan. The tree is native to the calcareous semidesert Sous Valley, in the southwest part of Morocco.
The country’s natural food sources for animals can be meager, so the goats are pretty determined to get to this tasty dinner. If they’ve eaten all the low-hanging fruit of the season, they’ll hop up into the branches and get to eat whatever’s available.
Often described as a natural phenomenon unique to the North African nation, their climbing is instinctual to an extent: The goats are attracted to the fruit in argans and, agile as they are, will clamber up to reach the pulpy treats.
Although goats are already known for their nimbleness, climbing trees poses a challenge. They manage it by climbing slowly, and some goat herders try to make it easier for them by cutting some branches off the trees so the creatures can start climbing more easily. But the goats do still occasionally take a tumble.
And contrary to the popular idea that the seeds all come from the goats’ excrement, scientists have found that most of the seeds used to produce Morocco’s argan oil actually comes from those regurgitated and spat out by the goats.
This habit of spitting out the seeds also plays a key role in maintaining argan forests.
The local farmers have also monitored this feeding habit, ensuring that the goats remain confined until the fruits have reached their full maturity. They restrict the goats’ freedom of movement only when it is sent for them. Argan oil is extracted from the kernels of the Argania tree, also known as the argan tree. For a couple of harvest seasons, the farmer makes it possible for goats to consume the nuts. This is because goats are unable to digest their food. They are responsible for removing the nut’s skin before spitting it out. This causes the nuts to become more pliable, allowing the farmers to collect them and turn them into argan oil more easily.