We have a herd of mufloni living near Casa Debbio. I hear them at night and they leave little messages on the driveway for me. I sometimes see them on our terraces in the early morning, but as soon as they see me they run away.
This morning I awoke to this wonderful misty view.
When I looked down at the terraces below the house I saw the mufloni looking back at me.
They are a type of wild goat. The males have quite impressive horns. This little group must have decided that I was far enough away not to bother them. They slowly wandered away on their quest for breakfast.
In spring I will see their cute babies. It is wonderful to be able to see wildlife so close to the house. I may not feel that way if the porcupines dig up my daffodils.
They look to be related (however distantly) to Western US Bighorn Sheep. Your friends are magnificent. I can hardly wait to see pictures of the kids.
By: Rob Mc Artor on January 4, 2014
at 6:30 am
The goats are quite small. They are very shy and I was lucky to get the photos, they usually run away more quickly. Perhaps they are getting used to me. I will do my best with the babies.
I came across a big male a while ago on the track. I don’t know who was more startled. He was off in a flash.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 6:42 am
Beautiful, widlife so close to the house!
By: LuccaHorseriding on January 4, 2014
at 7:20 am
We are in a National Park, so I hope there are lots of animals here.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 8:09 am
What kind of message do they leave for you? I hope nothing messy.
By: ranu802 on January 4, 2014
at 8:53 am
They leave little piles of pellet like objects, not messy at all.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 5:47 pm
è stupendo potersi affacciare alla finestra ed ammirare ciò che la natura ci riserva …………..
By: carla cecilia on January 4, 2014
at 9:17 am
It is indeed wonderful to be able to watch them from my window.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 5:47 pm
How wonderful to see nature so close….can’t wait to see the photos of the porcupines.
By: Jim & Kerry on January 4, 2014
at 9:21 am
I haven’t seen one yet, only their quills left behind. I believe they grow to be quite large. As long as they leave my daffodils alone we can live happily together.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 5:49 pm
Gorgeous
By: Jan Fabretti on January 4, 2014
at 10:45 am
They are very cute and there seem to be quite a few of them around here.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 5:49 pm
How lucky you are, we have never seen them in our bit of Tuscany.
By: June Finnigan on January 4, 2014
at 11:39 am
Casa Debbio is in a national park in the mountains of the Garfagnana. We have quite a lot of wildlife here. Last year I heard woodpeckers nearby and I actually spotted one sitting beside the road.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 5:51 pm
They are beautiful animals, the ancestors of many of our current day bovines. Fortunately, on the endangered species list they only appear as “vulnerable”. As long as they can enjoy their habitat, they will be safe.
By: mulino dominillo on January 4, 2014
at 4:23 pm
They seem to do well around here. There is plenty for them to eat in the forest and a constant water supply from the many springs, including ours.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 5:52 pm
che belli che sono!!!!!!!! wow. I would LOVE to have something like that wander by my window!!
By: The Daily Cure on January 4, 2014
at 4:42 pm
I love being in the forest and seeing these lovely animals wandering near our house.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 4, 2014
at 5:53 pm
How fun to see them so close up. I hope the porcupines stay away…they do lots of damage to our apple trees. By the way, I so enjoyed your posts during your stay in Lapland. 🙂
By: Karen on January 4, 2014
at 7:59 pm
Nothing attacked our vegetable garden last year, and we don’t have a fence. I hope the wild animals stay away from it again this year.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 5, 2014
at 12:10 pm
It was also nice to hear from your friend in the village that wolves have been spotted in the area lately. I saw some of these wild goats last year on the way down from your village and they are amazing athletes the way the run so fast over the steep rocks.
By: Paul on January 4, 2014
at 8:00 pm
I’ll let you know if I spot a wolf. I would hate them to get one of the goats.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 5, 2014
at 12:11 pm
LOVE that first photo. And thanks for explaining that those guys are a kind of goat. I was reading the email, sans photos, hoping a I wouldn’t have to ask.
Sorry to have been away since Christmas. We had guests from the US and then did some traveling around our new country. Didn’t always have internet. I’m trying now to get back into the swing of things.
Hope you had a great holiday. Happy New Year.
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
By: Kathryn McCullough on January 4, 2014
at 10:40 pm
Mufloni are quite small animals, although some of the males are a bit bigger. I think it is great that they live so close to the house. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that 2014 is kind to you. We loved our Christmas in Lapland. The dog sledding was a highlight.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 5, 2014
at 12:14 pm
How wonderful to have wildlife so close! Beautiful views of the mist from Casa Debbio!
By: Pauline on January 4, 2014
at 11:17 pm
It is a bit different from when you were here. I love the winter up here, but it takes a bit of work.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 5, 2014
at 12:15 pm
Beautiful creatures. I know what you mean though about your daffodil bulbs. I’m always thrilled by spotting possums and their babies but their charm is wearing thin because our veggie patch is their bistro of choice!
By: Jan on January 5, 2014
at 12:45 am
I planted the bulbs recently and so far they haven’t been discovered. I look forward to seeing them come up in the spring.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 5, 2014
at 12:16 pm
I truly enjoyed your post on the reindeer. The pictures were so wonderful! Can’t believe you shot those in total darkness. Thank you for sharing and Happy New Year.
By: Alisa Abbo on January 5, 2014
at 1:28 am
The reindeer were beautiful. Our goats remind me of them a bit.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 5, 2014
at 12:17 pm
That’s like a safari zoo right outside your window! Love the snow mist pictures.
By: rommel on January 5, 2014
at 9:14 am
I love the winter landscape here. The drive up and down the mountain is spectacular.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 5, 2014
at 12:18 pm
Beautiful pictures! Do they leave your garden alone?
By: linneabylinneanilsson on January 5, 2014
at 1:41 pm
They have so far. They didn’t eat anything from the vegetable garden last year.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 5, 2014
at 7:13 pm
That morning view is wonderful … and then to receive a treat with horns and his flock.
By: aFrankAngle on January 6, 2014
at 1:21 am
I’ve never heard of mufloni but what a delight to have a sighting so close! 😀
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on January 6, 2014
at 2:40 am
I can hear them most nights and have regular sightings, but it is not often I get them to stand still long enough for a photo.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 6, 2014
at 11:27 am
How wonderful! Just wondering, how do you clear road to your place if it snows?
By: Catherine on January 6, 2014
at 11:17 am
We don’t! Fortunately it doesn’t snow very often and we can still walk out. A 10 minute walk turns into a 40 minute one.
By: Debra Kolkka on January 6, 2014
at 11:28 am
how fantastic to have the wildlife so close! I would sacrifice a few daffodils to see a porcupine but maybe not all of them.
By: Where's Wiwi? on January 6, 2014
at 7:57 pm
Phew! I thought when I started reading this post that ‘mufloni’ might be Italian for ‘rats’.
By: Richard Tulloch on January 7, 2014
at 7:09 am
I thought they might be Italian mountain ghosts! so I swooped through all the photos quite anxiously and am relieved to see they are goats 🙂 Are they eaters of everything ?
By: Joanna on January 7, 2014
at 9:33 am
I’m just catching up on my reading after the holidays and came across this post. I love that you can look right our your window and see such varied wildlife.
Happy New Year to you!
By: Jackie Cangro on January 7, 2014
at 6:59 pm
[…] just hope the mufloni don’t move in and start eating […]
By: Farewell Casa Debbio | Bagni di Lucca and Beyond on June 28, 2014
at 1:53 pm