British seaside resort town Llandudno has seen an influx of unusual visitors in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, long-haired Kashmiri goats who have wandered in from the headlands surrounding town to take advantage of the empty streets and neatly trimmed garden hedges.
The flock of goats who live on the Great Orme rock outcrop around the coastal town — so numerous that in recent years the local council has resorted to giving some of the females hormonal birth control injections — have moved into the normally human-populated streets of Llandudno.
Residents stuck indoors looked on near helpless as the goats ate hedges and flowers. The police were called, according to one resident quoted by a report in The Times, but they were only able to scare off the animals with sirens and flashing lights temporarily.
Llandudno itself, while an ancient parish is today a remarkably well preserved Victorian resort town, with wide roads flanked by handsome villas, hotels, and businesses. Such is the complete period character of the town, it hosts an annual week-long Victorian festival, complete with funfair, parades of vintage machinery and locals in period dress, and special events. The 2020 Victorian Llandudno festival has been cancelled because of coronavirus.
LLANDUDNO, WALES – MARCH 31: Mountain goats roam the streets of LLandudno on March 31, 2020 in Llandudno, Wales. The goats normally live on the rocky Great Orme but are occasional visitors to the seaside town, but a local councillor told the BBC that the herd was drawn this time by the lack of people and tourists due to the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine measures. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
The Llandudno goats are already semi-famous in their own right in the United Kingdom. The original breeding pair came from Iran, whose Shah of Persia had given goats to Queen Victoria herself as a gift for her coronation in the 19th century. The present-day Queen still regularly meets one of the flock, as a billy is taken as a mascot of the Royal Welsh infantry regiment, and wears a full uniform for ceremonial occasions.
TIDWORTH, ENGLAND – JANUARY 22: The 1st Battalion of The Royal Welsh’s newest recruit, Fusilier Llywelyn, with his Goat Major, Fusilier Matthew Owen, before a passing out ceremony at the Officer’s Mess at Lucknow Barracks, on January 22, 2016 in Wiltshire, England. Fus Llywelyn is the latest in a long line of goats recruited by the regiment since 1844 when Queen Victoria presented the Royal Welsh Fusiliers with its first official Royal goat. The Regular and Reserve battalions have always recruited a goat from the Royal herd at the Great Orme, Llandudno. As well as his daily exercise regime working alongside the Goat Major, Llywelyn will be be involved in a host of official duties including leading the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh on all ceremonial duties, leading parades and even an invitation to parade in London as part of the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)