Georgian wildlife experts are celebrating the sighting of a rare species of wild goat in one of the country’s protected parks.
A camera trap spotted the wild goat in the Lagodekhi Protected Area in the east of Georgia. This is the first time in the history of the Lagodekhi Protected Area that this animal has been spotted.
The wild goat is on Georgia’s ‘Red List’ of Threatened Species.
Several years ago camera traps were installed in Georgia’s protected areas and national parks to capture footage and prove that a variety of animals, some rare, live in the country’s uninhabited areas.
Apart from this rare glimpse of a wild goat, other wild animals have also been spotted, with the most recent case of this Bambi-looking fawn in the Matchakhela National Park in the west of Georgia.
And these deer are from the Lagodekhi Protected Area.
Another deer was also spotted in Lagodekhi earlier in April.
Apart from spotting rare animals, camera traps are also a good tool to reduce poaching and identify offenders. If the devices notice movement, such as an animal passing by or illegal hunting, it records the image and sends it to the Administration of Protected Areas. This helps the national parks and protected areas to prevent poaching in the area.