Prospect Park Goats Too Good At Their Job

Pictured: Skittles the goat, before he was unemployed

PROSPECT PARK, BROOKLYN — Goats, it appears, do not know how to pace themselves.

The eight gardening goats that took up residency in Prospect Park's Zucker Natural Exploration Area in May — delightfully named Diego, Raptor, Max, Charlie Brown, Skittles, Zoya, Olivia and Reese — have already eaten through the 1.5 acre walk-through salad bar they called home.

But don't worry — they'll soon return.

The goats were brought in as an environmentally-friendly way to clear invasive weeds that had taken over after Hurricaine Sandy damaged local plants and trees.

Prospect Park Alliance spokeswoman Grace McCreight said Friday that the goats were always expected to do their work in two stages. They would eat existing weeds, then take a break while some grew back, and finally return to finish the job, ensuring that remaining weed root structures weren't still around.

"They were very good at their job," McCreight said, adding that they finished round one earlier than expected. They'll likely be brought back in August for their second course, she said.

McCreight said the goats have been very popular with the public. Once the weeds are gone, park staffers will restore native plants to the area, she said, making it a more appealing habitat for animals and people alike.

In the meantime, you can always swing by Brooklyn Bridge Park, where even more goats are hard at work.

Forestry technician Christoper Gucciardo introduces a young boy to Diego earlier this summer. Photo by John V. Santore.