The effect of goats on vegetation of the Kermadec Islands

[First paragraph...]
Goats were present on Raoul, the largest island of the Kermadecs, in 1836. (Rhodes in Strauhel 1954) although Wright and Metson (1959) stated that they wcre liberated there in 1842. Rhodes said that they were few in number on Raoul whereas he stated that in 1836, the second largest island in the group. Macauley, "abounds with goats". This implies that these animals must have already been present for a number of years. On Macauley the vegetation was burnt to some degree prior to the arrival of the goats. As a result, it has grassland covering most of its surface whereas Raoul is still forested.