A motivated herd of lean biting machines is back on duty and cleaning up an overgrown park in northwest Calgary.
About 800 goats are grazing 58 hectares of the park, gnawing on excess vegetation and reducing the risk of fire and promoting biodiversity.
The city's goat grazing project, which began as a pilot in 2016, has grown as much as the grass.
Jeannette Hall, one of the program's so-called shepherds, says the animals are more cost-effective than mowing or applying chemicals.
Each goat eats at least three kilograms of vegetation per day.
Hall says their digestive system prevents seeds of noxious plants from germinating, while their droppings fertilize the soil and their hoofs help till and aerate the ground.
Here are some scenes from the park.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2025.
The Canadian Press
