Horn-clashing argali caught on camera near Kumtor gold mine

AKIPRESS.COM – Near the Kumtor gold mine in Jeti-Oguz district of Issyk-Kul region, video footage captured argali mountain sheep.

The video revealed six argali, including two that engaged in horn-clashing. These creatures displayed an unusual lack of fear towards people and were seen playing calmly.

Ecologist Alexander Sosnovskiy noted that such encounters are quite rare, even though herds of argali inhabit the area.

“Approaching mountain sheep, or argali, is extremely challenging. They tend to detect people long before they can be observed through binoculars. Experienced hunters and mountain experts believe their vision rivals that of a person armed with eightfold binoculars in spotting distant objects. Their hearing is equally acute, and their sense of smell is not to be underestimated,” he reported.