In the wildest corners of the Rhodope Mountains, nature tells a magical tale. Far from the urban noise and crowded tourist resorts, the wilderness has built its own kingdom, where animals are the main characters. This impressive mountain idyll is under the protection of the state hunting reserve “Kormisosh.” Spanning 410 square kilometers in the most inaccessible part of the Rhodopes, it boasts unparalleled wildlife diversity.
Eng. Kostadin Radkov, Director of the State Hunting Reserve “Kormisosh”:
“The territory of ‘Kormisosh’ has the richest game fauna. It includes all types of big game—red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, roe deer, and bear.”
Eng. Tsvetomir Tsolov, Wildlife Photographer – Tsolov Wild:
“The reserve possesses an incredibly diverse and beautiful nature. There is a special energy in this place. I say this truly from the heart—when I visit ‘Kormisosh,’ I always feel indescribably good. It’s definitely one of my favorite places in the country.”
Recently, a new star has appeared in the vast forests of “Kormisosh”—the Alpine ibex. Sixteen of these animals, brought from distant Bavaria, have made their home here. Tsvetomir Tsolov is among the few who captured the historic moment when these animals took their first steps in the Rhodopes.
Eng. Tsvetomir Tsolov, Wildlife Photographer:
“As a photographer with so many years of experience, I feel fortunate to have the chance to come close to such an animal.”
Thousands of years ago, the Alpine ibex inhabited nearly all Bulgarian mountains. Over time, however, the species disappeared from the Balkans. In the 1980s, similar animals were introduced to Rila and the Balkan Mountains, but they eventually vanished again. Today, hopes are high that the ibex will recognize the Rhodopes as their home.
Eng. Kostadin Radkov, Director of the State Hunting Reserve “Kormisosh”:
“Experts from France and Austria visited us. They concluded that the ibex would thrive here.”
Eng. Zdravko Bakalov, Director of the South-Central State Enterprise – Smolyan:
“We’re starting with a small number of animals to observe how they adapt, how they feed, and what they need. For them, this is a new region. However, the initial feedback from our colleagues is positive—the ibex are calm, behaving well, and frequenting feeding areas. They coexist with other game species here in the acclimatization enclosure, like mouflon and fallow deer.”
For now, the 16 ibex live in a large, enclosed area of 3 square kilometers, where they adapt to their new environment. However, spotting them requires patience and a bit of luck. Accompanied by the gamekeepers of Kormisosh, we explored the forest in areas where the animals are most likely to appear—near feeding spots.
Eng. Vasil Raykov, Deputy Director of the State Hunting Reserve “Kormisosh”:
“So far, they are adapting well, feeding, feeling calm, and visiting feeding complexes. They are observed daily, and we monitor them closely. Our goal is to see how they acclimate, and if everything goes well, we aim to release them freely in a year or two.”
Thirteen of the ibex are female, holding the greatest hope for the future. Come spring, the pregnant ones will give birth to the first generation of Rhodope ibex.
Eng. Kostadin Radkov, Director of the State Hunting Reserve “Kormisosh”:
“We plan to continue introducing more animals until we establish a core herd of at least 80–100 individuals. They will breed here, and we will release their offspring into the wild.”
In February, the winter landscape usually blankets the otherwise green mountain slopes. Finding food becomes challenging, and the animals rely on the care of gamekeepers. Across the endless mountain expanses, feeding stations are placed and stocked daily with over a ton of fodder. The kingdom of wildlife is closely guarded against poaching threats.
Eng. Kostadin Radkov, Director of the State Hunting Reserve “Kormisosh”:
“Our staff is physically present across almost the entire area. Additionally, we are equipped with thermal cameras and drones. We protect this place for the people—it’s accessible to everyone. We safeguard it from those with bad intentions.”
The magical tale of the Rhodopes awaits its next chapter—the time when the Alpine ibex will once again become a permanent part of the mountain’s fauna.
Source: https://vasilkovski.com/stories/kade-jiveiat-edinstvenite-v-bulgaria-alpijski-kozirozi/
