Make way for the flock! Hundreds of sheep head through German city to their winter pastures

BERLIN (AP) — Pedestrians in the German city of Nuremberg made way for hundreds of bleating sheep on Sunday as a flock of the animals was herded through downtown on its way to its winter quarters.

Curious bystanders, cellphones in hand to capture the sight, lined the streets as the roughly 600 animals in shepherd Thomas Gackstatter’s flock hurried past on what has become a popular annual spectacle.

The sheep were on their way to winter pastures west of Nuremberg from the city, where Gackstatter’s sheep and other herds are used in various meadows over the summer to keep the grass neat.

It’s a trip of over 10 kilometers (just over 6 miles), which takes the flock through the central market square, the Hauptmarkt, German news agency dpa reported. Gackstatter says that, as far as he knows, Nuremberg is the only place in Germany where sheep cross the central square. The city has about 540,000 inhabitants.

Ahead of their passage, city authorities asked people to keep the route clear and keep dogs away from the sheep — a mixture of various breeds. Drones weren’t allowed.

Nuremberg isn’t the only German city where sheep are used as lawnmowers. They also graze in at least some places in Berlin, Potsdam, Augsburg, Ulm and others. The sheep’s slow munching makes for insect-friendly grass care, helping preserve biodiversity, and also saves city authorities the costs of mowing.

And for shepherds, the arrangement provides a place to put their sheep at a time when open spaces have become increasingly scarce.