Goats at coastal site culled due to poor health

The last remaining goats at a coastal site have had to be culled due to tuberculosis (TB), the National Trust has confirmed.

The number of goats on Brean Down in Somerset dwindled to only four in recent years.

National Trust South West said "the restricted gene pool" had already sparked health concerns for the goats but now further tests have revealed they were carrying TB.

The trust said it was "passionate" about caring for wildlife, but "occasionally had to make difficult decisions".

"We only undertake wildlife management when absolutely essential," a spokesperson added, as first reported by Burnham-On-Sea.com.

"Our approach is guided by the requirement for control interventions to be humane and informed by evidence."

The goats used to be part of the landscape at Brean Down, and were often seen climbing the steep cliffs.

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