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JIM MCMAHON/MAPMAN®
Do goats grow on trees? Of course not. But it might look like they do in this photo!
These goats live in Morocco, a country in Africa. Morocco can be hot and dry, which makes it hard for plants to grow. That means there isn’t much food for the goats to nibble on. But round, green fruits grow on the branches of the argan tree. The goats climb the branches and gobble up the fruit!
What Seeds Need
When the goats are done snacking, they climb down and wander away. As they walk, they spit out the fruits’ seeds. This might sound gross, but it helps new trees grow!
How? To grow into trees, seeds need sunlight, water, and nutrients. If the seeds stay too close to the tree they grew on, they won’t get enough water and nutrients. The tree uses them up. The tree’s wide branches also block the sunlight. So the seeds need a different place to grow.
YAVUZ SARIYILDIZ/GETTY IMAGES
Goats to the Rescue
MOMENT OPEN/GETTY IMAGES
Goats climb trees using their hooves to grip the branches.
Of course, the seeds can’t walk to a new place by themselves. That’s where the goats come in. The goats wander away from the trees, spitting out the seeds as they go. In new locations, the seeds can get enough sun, water, and nutrients to grow into new trees. Thanks, goats!
FACT FINDER
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
The Moroccan goats aren’t the only goats that do good deeds while enjoying their meals. Introduce your students to the goats that help stop California wildfires in “A New Kind of Firefighter,” our May/June 2020 Mini Read.
Meet another type of goat, the cliff-scaling ibex, in this short video from PBS.
For more information on the fascinating country of Morocco, share these fabulous facts and photos from the Kids World Travel Guide site.
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