In the latest episode of cross-border animal adventures, a cow from Muratlı village in northeastern Artvin found its way to the Georgian village of Kırnati, prompting the Georgian villagers to take compassionate action. Unwilling to leave the cow exposed to the harsh winter weather, Kırnati residents have been caring for the cow in their barns, eagerly seeking its owner.
Kırnati, situated in the Khelvachauri district of Batumi, the capital of Georgia's Adjara Autonomous Republic, has become an impromptu host to the wayward cow. Residents suspect the cow crossed the border from Muratlı, fostering a sense of camaraderie despite the geopolitical separation of the two villages.
While the Moscow and Kars agreements in 1921 delineated the borders between the two villages, Kırnati ended up on the Georgian side (Soviet Russia), and Muratlı remained on the Turkish side. The Çoruh River, along with the closed dam water gates, serves as a natural demarcation between the two locales.
When local farmers from Muratlı send their animals to graze, occasional instances occur where the animals do not return. The close proximity of the villages and the fluctuations in river water levels, facilitated by closed dam gates, allow animals to cross to the opposite village. In such cases, owners typically contact their relatives across the border to locate their missing animals.
Muradi Genadi Geladze, a resident of Kırnati, estimated that the cow crossed the Turkish border around a month ago, sparking the joint effort to locate its owner. Elza Steladze, the mukhtar of Kırnati village, emphasized the enduring bond between the two villages, transcending borders and geopolitics.
