Footage captured by various cameras in countryside areas across Kazakhstan has led to intrigue on social media, reports Tengri news.
In the most recent video, a maral was caught on film in the middle of the night in the Katon-Karagay National Park, sparking debate as to whether it may have been a moose. Some believed that it was too large to be a maral.
While there is a population of moose in the same park – some 127 of them at the last count – park officials were quick to clarify that the creature caught on film is in fact a maral. They then helped people understand the difference between the two species:
“The main differences between a maral and a moose are body structure and antler shape. The maral has a leaner body, a proportional head, and branching antlers. A moose is typically larger and taller, with long legs, a massive elongated snout, and a characteristic skin flap under the throat. The antlers of adult male moose are usually broad and shovel-shaped.”
Meanwhile, another visitor also went viral when a wolverine made a surprise appearance in the Bayanaul National Park.
No mistake this time as to the species, but it is not certain how this particular wolverine became the first such sighting in the area. Experts point to the ability of this creature to migrate long distances, partly why it has occasionally been seen outside its natural habitat, the mountain-taiga regions of the Southern Altai.
Cameras placed in these protected areas allow scientists to monitor wildlife, but also to share rare glimpses into the lives of rare animals, something which has proven fascinating for many people this week.
