You might be wondering about the presence of goats amidst the lava rocks in my photos, given the stark, barren landscape they inhabit. Initially, my aim was to capture the volcanic landscape and the formations resulting from eruptions, so encountering goats was an unexpected sight. Goats are, in fact, not indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands; they were introduced by Captain James Cook in 1778. Over time, the goat population expanded, leading to issues with feral goats. These animals, being herbivores, pose a significant threat to the Hawaiian ecosystem, particularly since the islands originally did not have native grazing species like goats.

 

By the late 1970s, the goat population in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park had surged to over 15,000, leading to noticeable environmental degradation and the loss of several native plant species. Recognizing the severity of the issue, the National Park Service initiated controlled goat hunts to mitigate the impact. Thanks to these efforts, the goat population within the park has been significantly reduced to fewer than 100. On the island of Hawaii, goat hunting is permissible throughout the year. However, I “shot” them with a 600mm lenses, not a hunting rifle.