Elusive species recorded on mountain peak stomping feet as park rangers approach
Wildlife officers had a rare encounter on a mountain in northwestern Thailand with a creature that looks like a cross between a goat and an antelope.
The rare species called a goral, or Naemorhedus griseus, was spotted by patrol officers near the peak of Doi Luang Chiang Dao, according to a July 4 Facebook post by Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary.
Officers captured a video of the elusive species stomping its feet and crying out to other gorals in the area, warning them of an intruder in their territory — both common behaviors, according to a comment from the Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Research Station.
A recent survey revealed 108 gorals live in Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, the head of Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, told CM108, a local news outlet in Chiang Mai Province.
There are just 300 gorals believed to exist in all of Thailand, according to local experts.
Gorals, reach about two-and-a-half-feet tall at the shoulder, are also found in the mountainous regions of Myanmar, China, India, Vietnam, and maybe Laos, according to wildlife experts.
Their biggest threat in many areas is over hunting, and they are listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Gorals live in groups of up to 12 individuals, but older males may be solitary, according to experts. They are known to be cautious and spend most of their time on high rocky slopes mostly inaccessible to humans, making sightings rare.
Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook posts from Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, the Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Research Station and news outlet CM108.
This story was originally published July 8, 2025 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Elusive species recorded on mountain peak stomping feet as park rangers approach."
