The goats are back! If your littles are into farm animals, Prospect Park is continuing its tradition of hosting a small herd of adorable goats to help with woodland restoration. Ever since 2012's Hurricane Sandy and other severe storms destroyed over 500 trees in the park woods, invasive plants have been taking over and making it difficult for native plants to grow. The Prospect Park Alliance has been concentrating its efforts on removing these weeds before restoring these native plants that serve as homes for resident wildlife.
This year, four goats—Max, a black pygmy goat from last year’s herd, and three Swiss toggenburgs—have moved in to chomp away at the hardy plants in a northeast portion of the park called the Vale of Cashmere. The weeds get weaker each time they’re eaten and will soon have no energy to keep growing back in. Once this landscape has been restored, Lookout Hill will receive similar attention.
Apart from aiding in park conservation efforts, this year’s goats are also tasked with the very important role of being the cutest residents in the park. You might not be able to romp and play through the lawn or do yoga with them, but you can definitely meet and say hello to them during the park’s free Fun on the Farm event on Sunday, May 21.
If you’re looking for more goat fun, Socrates Sculpture Park just unveiled an exhibit called Nari Ward: G.O.A.T., again. Artist Nari Ward has taken over the grounds with five installations, one of which involves a herd of goats cast from lawn ornaments. These concrete and fiberglass creations can be found grazing alone or in groups and carry a tangled pile of goods—telephone wires, tarred feathers, even a fire hose—on their backs. Ward’s Scapegoat, 2017 installation, a faux-stone hobby goat with handlebars poking out of its head, a rusty wheel and used tire attached, is a sight not be missed though at 40 feet long, we doubt that’ll happen.
These goats might not respond to your calls, but it’ll still be a fun search and find adventure for little ones. How many can they spot?
If your kid can't get enough of cute animals, take a trip to one of the petting zoos near NYC to make some new four-legged friends.