Bezoar Goat

The bezoar goat (Capra aegagrus) belongs to the Bovidae family. It is a mountainous goat that includes a wide range of species living in a various climates, from deserts to alpine plateaus. The Bezoar or wild goat is the ancestor of a domestic goat. It got its name due to a special rigid hairball in their stomach that is called bezoar. In ancient times people believed that bezoars were lucky stones and killed the animal to get the stones, which reduced the population of the animal. Since 1996 it has been included in a IUCN Red List evaluated as Vulnerable.

Where Can We Meet a Bezoar Goat?

The areal includes Sevan Mountain range, the western slopes of Geghama Mountains (Khosrov Forest), the mountain ranges of Garni, Urts, Vardenis, Bargushat, Meghri and Noravank Canyon. Some isolated groups have been maintained in Mount Khustup, Vorotan Gorge, in the upper part of Arpa Valley. The species has completely disappeared in Pambak mountain range and Mount Aragats.

General Characteristics of a Bezoar Goat

The weight of a male goat can be up to 95 kilograms, while females are smaller weighing nearly 55 kilograms. Body length of a male is 129-152 centimeters and a female 100-110 centimeters. Both male and female have horns. The male has big horns that can be 130 centimeters, while the female horns are 25-40 centimeters. It uses the horns to defend itself and to fight for the females.

The coat color of bezoars varies depending on the region and the season. It can have one color or can be a combination of two colors. The most common colors are brown, grey, white and black. In summer the coat becomes shorter and gets a reddish color. Their coat helps them to adapt and survive in harsh conditions in the mountain. They basically live in areas with thick vegetation and don’t tend to change their living area. In winter months they go to foothills and in summer climb the hills. The Bezoar goat is a herbivore, and eats grass, twigs, leaves, berries but at the same time serves as a food for leopards, wolves and bears.

The Reproduction of Bezoar Goats

The mating season is  from the end of November till the beginning of December. The babies are  born in May, usually two, sometimes one baby. They drink their mother’s milk till 5 months old, then are weaned and start eating grass and leaves. Female goats reach sexual maturity at 1.5–2.5 years, males at 3.5–4 years. The average lifespan of the goat is 13-14 years. Female goats and the babies live together while the males live separate or with а group of 4-5 goats. During the mating season males give off an oily substance from their skin which attracts females. Males often have fights over female and the winning goat gets to mate.

In Armenia you can meet the Caucasian type of the bezoar goat.The species is preserved in “Khosrov Forest” and “Shikahogh”  state reserves, “Areviq” and “Sevan” national parks, “Zangezur” and other southern Armenian sanctuaries.

The bezoar goats as an incentive for tourism development

The special observatory called “Ditaket” in Shatin village of Vayots Dzor region, gives the opportunity to observe the bezoar goats, to see how they go down the canyon to drink water. Due to the rocky environment goats are able to escape wild animals and climb the rocks. Right now, the observatory has only one or two visitors a day; however, after some work and fixing technical problems, the observatory can become one of the most-visited tourist destinations. The bezoar goat being a unique and vulnerable species can attract not only specialists  of the field but can also serve as an incentive for development of tourism in Armenia, creating a new Armenian brand.

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