Contraceptive jabs cut goat herd on the Great Orme

The goats are characterised by their long coats and impressive horns

The number of kids born to a herd of wild goats has been reduced by nearly two thirds after they were injected with contraceptives.

In the past, about 60 kids were born each year to the Kashmir goats on Llandudno's Great Orme, which led to fears they were over-breeding.

But a year after 65 nanny goats were vaccinated, 23 kids have been born.

Previously, some goats were relocated to reduce the population from 220 a few years ago.

Since being introduced more than 100 years ago, numbers of Kashmir goats on Llandudno's Great Orme have risen dramatically.

The goats have broken into gardens looking for food and Conwy council had been using implants to reduce fertility in the 180-strong herd.

It seems that less than 10% of the goats which were treated have had kids Sally Pidcock, Great Orme warden

These are no longer available so the vaccine to reduce the nanny goats' fertility was used as an alternative.

Great Orme Country Park warden Sally Pidcock, 39, said the contraceptive "seems to have worked".

"Normally we would expect far more kids - usually 50 or 60," she said.

"The vaccines do not seem 100% effective but it seems that less than 10% of the goats which were treated have had kids."

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion the Royal Welch Fusiliers were drafted in to help round up the goats last year to vaccinate them.

At the same time they chose a goat to be the regimental mascot William 'Billy' Windsor.

The often elusive white Kashmirs are descendants of a pair the Shah of Persia presented to Queen Victoria soon after she was crowned.

They were introduced on the Great Orme over a century ago.

Numbers for the goats peaked in the 1990s when around 200 goats were grazing the slopes of the headland.

Such large numbers of goats were however looking for alternative sources of food and gardens were being damaged.

Previously, some of the goats have been moved to other parts of the UK, including Somerset, to ensure a stable number is maintained.