Footage of the elusive chamois goat-antelope was captured by a drone perusing the snow-covered Verçenik Mountain separating Turkey's northeastern Rize and Erzurum provinces.
The Erzurum provincial directorate of the Nature Conservation National Parks carried out an inventory of the mountain goat population with the assistance of the drone.
Though less intrusive than a human visitor, the drone's presence did not go unnoticed. The chamois, spotting its observer, could be seen running up and down the slope, unsure how to react.
The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is native to mountain ranges across Europe, the Balkans, Turkey and the Caucasus. They live in moderately high altitudes and rugged, rocky terrain. Adult chamois reach a height of 70-80 centimeters (28-31 inches) and length of 107-137 cm (42-54 in).
Verçenik, located in Erzurum's İspir district, is Turkey's eighth highest mountain and the second highest summit in the Kaçkar Mountain Range in northeastern Turkey.
