High in the sun-scorched hills of Morocco, you might spot a strange sight—goats standing in trees like oversized birds. But they’re not after leaves. They’re after argan fruit, and in a roundabout way, they help create one of the world’s most luxurious oils.

Argan oil comes from the nuts inside the fruit of the argan tree, and goats are obsessed with it. They climb the gnarled branches to feast, then spit out or pass the hard nuts—leaving humans to collect and crack them open for their precious oil-rich seeds.

Traditionally, this goat-assisted process helped rural communities produce argan oil by hand. Today, most commercial oil is made without goat digestion, but the tree-climbing goats remain a real and surreal part of the landscape—and a symbol of how nature and culture can intertwine in unexpected ways.

Rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, argan oil is prized for skin, hair, and cooking—thanks in part to some very nimble goats.