Morocco: Argan tree climbing goats exploited for tourism

By climbing the argan trees several meters high with amazing agility, the domestic goats manage to diversify their diet in a semi-arid environment lacking in plant resources at the end of the summer. This traditional exercise that the goats engage in is beneficial for the producers of argan oil. Indeed, they spit out the intact kernel after consuming the fruit. The argan oil producers then collect the kernel and press it. A traditional process that withstands the test of time despite the modernization of the industry.

With the influx of visitors, the farmers sharpen their appetite. Some of them "now force their herds to remain perched for hours on end to satisfy the demand for photos," reports Le Monde des animaux, noting that this practice "exhausts the animals and poses a growing ethical problem." The magazine advises travelers not to contribute to this exploitation. The author of the article invites them to favor spontaneous observation, admiring the goats as they climb the trees on their own.

They are also recommended not to encourage staged scenes by paying for photos, but rather to support the local argan oil cooperatives, which guarantee a production respectful of traditions and the environment. Travelers are invited to choose guided tours committed to sustainable tourism, as this allows them to enjoy this unusual spectacle while contributing to the preservation of the argan trees and the well-being of the animals.