The Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve, located in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, recorded an absolute record for the number of Siberian mountain goats - 874 species, about 200 more goats than in 2018 and 2019.
The estimation was carried out from the boat in the early morning hours, when animals, mainly females with baby goats, descended to drink water. Inspectors managed to register 93 groups of capricorns. Females are more fertile this year - they more often than usual brought twins. According to zoologists, due to the warm spring the cubs began to appear very early - already in early April.
“The reason for this increase in numbers is the formation of a stable snow cover in the fall - later than usually, successful passage of the rut, early snow melting, and a warm spring without prolonged frost and rainfall,” said Roman Afanasyev, senior researcher at the reserve.
In the spring-summer season, females with kids are predominant on the route. Since males at this time of the year are mainly located in the highlands and do not go down to the water reservoir, the reserve staff will count them in the fall, when the animals form mixed herds during the rutting season.
