Trail update
I saw where the Mount Ellinor Trail in Olympic National Forest reopened the other day after being closed for about three months. Goats were the reason for the closure; more specifically, aggressive goats that have become habituated to human contact and may present a danger to hikers.
There are reasons for this: when hikers pee on the trail, the goats are right there to harvest the salt in the urine. Because people walk on the trail, and the goats are now drawn to the trail, interactions are unavoidable. That’s one reason. The major culprit, however, as in most cases of animals behaving badly, is the idiot who thinks that the cute little hairballs need a bite of his PB&J, who thinks it’s funny to watch a baby goat chew on Skittles.
It’s not funny. The goats are not native to the Olympic Peninsula but they are most definitely wild animals. Just as playing with fire will get you burned, annoying the wildlife will get you hurt. Maybe even dead. The Park Service has some good tips if you’re traveling in goat country (related to contact with other animals as well as goats), but most of it is pretty common sense. Mind your own business and let them mind theirs. And keep your lunch to yourself.
About Ken Campbell
New Release
A story of sea kayaking and science on the rugged coast of Alaska. Coming – Spring 2014.
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