When the news seems particularly heavy, you might turn to goats to lift your spirits (opens in new tab). Goats can even prevent forest fires. We already know that goats are cute (opens in new tab). Their strange little vertical eyes, their dizzying jumps, and their slightly scary (but kind of cute!) human-like yelping habit (open in new tab). But they're also particularly greedy (opens in new tab)-and that little fact may help save California.

A new New York Times article (opens in new tab) explores how enterprising goat-herders in wildfire-ravaged California are using their goat teams for fire mitigation, primarily by exploiting the goats' habit of eating delicious grasses and dry shrubs Exploration.

In other words, the tasty plants that goats love to eat are also the most fire-prone in historical drought conditions. The Times article follows one herder who set up an electric fence and released 200 goats to feed on whatever they could eat all night long. The goats not only cut the grass that would normally spark a wildfire in a pretty way, but they also fertilize the soil by digesting the plants, allowing new grass to grow in their place.

And this goat has some range: according to this article, goats can eat brush up to nine feet in the air when standing on their hind legs. The general image of a 9-foot-tall goat is a no-no, but if it helps prevent fires, then yes!

This type of mitigation is not new. In fact, the use of fire-damaged land as grazing land is a fairly old technique dating back to early humans. Not only is it effective, but it also sparks the imagination and raises interest in earth-friendly fire protection techniques. Plus, isn't it really fun to roam the trails and come across hundreds of goats having lunch?

The practice of hiring goats for yard work has gained momentum in recent years, so much so that the Bureau of Land Management contacted the California goat herders profiled by The Times to address concerns about wildfires in Colorado.

Goats! Our furry friends may also be the heroes we need right now.