June 29, 2020

Goats in an argan tree near Essaouira, Morocco

Goats don't grow on trees

You're not seeing things—these goats in Essaouira, Morocco, have climbed high up into an argan tree. And it's not a one-time event. The goats enjoy the small yellow fruit these trees produce, and when the low-hanging fruit is gone they're willing and able to make the climb. Goats aren't the only ones benefitting from these trees. The nuts from argan trees are used to produce argan oil, which is edible and also used for some rather pricey cosmetics, making it a valuable export.

The goats contribute to the argan oil business when orchard owners enlist them to unwittingly harvest the nuts. Because the goats tend to swallow the entire fruit, the nuts pass through their digestive systems intact. Once the nuts are excreted, they're gathered from the droppings and cracked open to expose the seed kernels inside—it's these kernels that contain the valuable oil. Occasionally the partnership between orchard owner and goat backfires, though, and the goats must be prevented from chomping away too much in the interest of profits. It's all a delicate balancing act.