Mountain goat removed after two days on Cochrane-area home's deck
Alberta Fish and Wildlife tranquilized and relocated the aggressive animal back to the Rocky Mountains.
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A stubborn mountain goat that lingered on a Cochrane-area acreage has been safely returned to the mountains.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement (FWE) responded to a home near Cochrane after the animal refused to leave the owners' deck for two days while acting aggressively. The goat, whose species is normally seen clinging to the upper crags of the nearby Rocky Mountains, had become a problem for the homeowners.
"The officers arrived at the property, assessed the situation, tranquilized the goat and safely relocated it back into the mountains," the agency said in a statement Tuesday.
Photos provided by wildlife officers show the white goat, equipped with a set of horns, standing on a wooden deck and looking toward the camera. Another image depicts the same animal tranquilized and secured in the back of a pickup truck while a smiling fish and wildlife officer looks on.
According to FWE, such incidents are extraordinarily rare. "Occurrences like these likely happen only once in a fish and wildlife officers' career and remind us how privileged we are to work in our field," the agency said.
The removal comes as goat herds continue to play a role in managing Calgary's natural spaces. Earlier this summer, hundreds of goats returned to Nose Hill Park to help restore native prairie through brush maintenance.
At a glance
Where was the mountain goat removed from?
A residential acreage near Cochrane, Alberta, where the animal had been standing on the homeowners' deck.
How did Alberta Fish and Wildlife remove the goat?
Officers tranquilized the mountain goat and relocated it back to the Rocky Mountains.
How long did the goat stay on the deck?
The mountain goat remained on the deck for two days while acting aggressively toward the homeowners.
