Rare sighting of Ibex herd in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh

The wild mountain goats also known as Ibex can weigh from 80 kg to 1 quintal. Their strong sense of smell enables them to detect the movement of people from a long distance.

Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh): Tourists on Sunday got an opportunity to witness a rare sighting of a large herd of mountain goats on the hills of Ropa valley in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The sighting of the elusive animals was captured by locals in their cameras.

The wild mountain goats also known as Ibex can weigh from 80 kg to 1 quintal. Their strong sense of smell enables them to detect the movement of people from a long distance. The herd of Ibex has come down to the lower reaches of the hills of Ropa valley this year in search of drinking water and to avoid predators.

According to experts, Ibex, considered a sacred animal by people in the Ropa region, is now coming to rural areas for grass and drinking water. They also said that the wild mountain goats usually do not eat grass touched by humans. They usually live in remote mountainous areas far from human habitation.