Lions are a big problem for goat keepers, and they won’t make life easy for you.
But we, as a species, have been defending herds of goats from lions for a very, very long time.
We’ve picked up a few tricks along the way, and with modern technology, it is easier than ever.
Let’s look further into this.
Do lions kill goats?
Yes, is the simple answer.
Lions are big, apex predators and even the largest adult goat wouldn’t pose much of a problem for even a single lion.
Goats make great prey for lions, unable to run particularly fast and providing a substantial meal.
When it comes to goats that have nowhere to run, they’re even more likely to target them.
Lions are one of the biggest predators of all kinds of livestock in the U.S.; goats, sheep, cattle.
Lions are intelligent and know they have an easier meal with an enclosed animal.
Lions are a great threat to your goats if you don’t do anything to defend them.
I talk about lions broadly here since there is really no difference in how much of a threat they are to goats.
I am focusing on mountain lions or pumas, but obviously larger African lions are equally capable.
Some goats, though, seem pretty formidable in their own right—so can they defend themselves against attack from lions?
Can goats defend against lions?
In any threat scenario, a goat’s instincts will tell it to run away.
It won’t stand and fight unless it is completely cornered.
With some smaller predators, like coyotes or foxes, they might stand a good chance of being able to fend the animal off.
With lions, they really have no chance.
A large, aggressive buck might be able to deal a significant wound to the lion, but it is extremely unlikely to be enough to fend it off.
Lions, as I said, are apex predators.
They are large, heavy, deadly with both their claws and their teeth.
Goats simply stand no chance in defending themselves against attack.
So, let’s look into how you can defend your goats yourself.
How to protect goats from lions
There are going to be a number of things that attract lions to your homestead.
Make sure you keep the whole area thoroughly clean—garbage should be tightly secured, be sure to regularly clean up after your goats.
This is the first step you can take.
You would also do well to install LED motion sensor lights on the perimeter of your property.
They will mostly attack during the night, and so will be put off by bright lights in the area.
Secure fencing is vital.
It needs to be tall and strong, and preferably electrified.
Don’t bother with barbed wire—it’s inhumane.
It’s also vital that your goats have an enclosed area they can be locked up in at night.
Lions might not have much trouble getting around or over a fence, but they will struggle to get inside a locked barn.
Perhaps the best thing you can do, though, is to have guard dogs on your property.
Big, large, defence-oriented dogs will not only keep lions from coming around in the first place, but can defend your goats in the case of an attack.
Lions generally will hunt alone, and won’t want to tussle with several dogs.
If you take these steps in combination, lions should not bother your goats.
Do lions hunt wild goats?
In the wild, lions are just as likely to hunt goats.
Goats are precisely the kind of prey that a lion would prefer.
They aren’t as fast as deer or other ruminants, but they’re just as bulky and provide enough of a meal at the same time.
Lions all over the world will hunt goats, and big cats, in general, like to prey on livestock.
Leopards in Africa, for instance, are well-documented pig hunters.
So, depending on what’s available, lions might not only actively hunt goats but prefer them to other prey.
So, it is not my intention to cause you to panic for your goats.
But, with that said, you need to take the threat of lion attack very seriously.
If you don’t take any steps to defend your goats, then they are at serious risk of being fatally attacked.
That said, the steps you can take are fairly straightforward, and if done in conjunction with one another, should keep lions away from your property without you even needing to think about it.
So take my advice and defend your goats.