6/3/98

Charles Martin (martico@vetmed.auburn.edu) 844-3698

AU STUDENTS RESTOCK 'GOAT ISLAND' ON LAKE MARTIN

AUBURN -- A popular island on nearby Lake Martin is home once again to a small herd of goats, thanks to students from Auburn University who restocked Goat Island just before the Memorial Day weekend.

Watching animals on the 75-acre island has been a tradition with boaters and campers since the late 1920s, says state Rep. Jack Venable, D-Tallassee, who coordinated the restocking program with Auburn's colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture.

"For years, the island has been a favorite destination for boaters, especially those with children," said Venable, who is also a member of the AU Board of Trustees. "The new goats are not wild, but are gentle, tame animals. We hope everyone will enjoy their presence and help take care of them."

The goats -- one male and six females -- were ferried to the island across a narrow section of the lake near Martin Dam, said Dr. David Pugh, associate professor at the AU College of Veterinary Medicine.

"The island has natural rock shelters and plenty of vegetation," Pugh said. "We visited the site before restocking and well continue to make regular visits to check on them."

Alabama Power Company, which owns the island, has placed signs banning firearms and protecting the goats. Area residents have been urged to report any signs of trouble to marine police, who plan to increase patrols in the area.

According to local history, the island became known as Sheep Island in the 1920s after construction of Martin Dam. Reportedly, water rose around the land and trapped a herd of sheep, but over the years, they were replaced with goats.

june98:AU-goats