The shrill bleats of goats hiding in bushes sparked a police callout when they were mistaken for human screams.
Police were notified about 1pm on Friday of what sounded like screams for help at Wharau Rd, east of Kerikeri. But Senior Sergeant Peter Robinson said responding officers were unable to find anyone in distress.
They did, however, find a number of goats which were identified as the likely culprits.
He said the goats were hidden in bush where they could not be seen and their high-pitched bleats could easily be mistaken for human voices.
The caller did the right thing by alerting police, he said.
