Alicudi, small Italian island, has so many goats, residents want outsiders to adopt them

A small island in Italy is desperately trying to control its population - even though only around 100 people live there.

Who is it they're looking to evict if not local residents? The goats who outnumber humans by about six to one.

The remote island of Alicudi is the least populated of the Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily.

While its human population is rather tiny, its wild goat population is so robust at roughly 600 goats that the animals have begun overwhelming residents, leaving the government with a problem to solve, officials told CNN.

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Goats galore

The goats, who were once released onto the island by a farmer and were mostly relegated to Alicudi's rocky mountains and cliffs, have since reproduced so prolifically that they have descended into areas inhabited by humans, causing the destruction typical of goats who eat just about anything, according to CNN.

The bothersome animals have taken to munching on lawns, gardens and greenery, causing destruction to structures and even paying unwelcome visits to peoples' homes.

To solve the problem, Mayor Riccardo Gullo created an "adopt a goat" program open to just about anyone who will remove some goats from the island.

The program allows people to apply for up to 50 goats, so long as they submit their application and a #17 stamp fee by April 10.

If approved, applicants will have 15 days to catch the goats and take them home.

Gullo has said he will continue to extend the program until all but about 100 goats are gone.

“We have heard from dozens of people since we first announced this,” Gullo told CNN, "Ideally, we would like to see people try to domesticate the animals rather than eat them."