Mountain goats return to Axarquía village to enjoy summer nights out

Wildlife

A local resident in Canillas de Aceituno has photographed the animals on Calle Convento, where they seek out vegetation and a cool spot on the hottest nights

Eugenio Cabezas

Male mountain goats have once again started coming into Canillas de Aceituno in Malaga province's Axarquía are for what appears to have become their ... annual summer lads' night out, since they were first spotted in August 2025.

Local resident Rocío Ortiz García has once again sighted several of them roaming Calle Convento, the nearby trees and the rocks next to the houses in the early hours of the morning.

“It’s been two years now since the mountain goats started paying us visits on Calle Convento,” Ortiz, a keen photographer with a passion for the history and traditions of her hometown, explained to SUR. The local resident attributes these forays to the high temperatures and the search for “a bit of coolness and some greenery”.

As was the case in August and September 2025, Duke, as the locals named last summer, is once again among the visitors, but this time, he hasn’t come alone: the photographs provided to SUR by Ortiz also show a younger and particularly curious specimen.

Duke has returned to Calle Convento accompanied by Spirit, a young male who explores rooftops, trees and rocks in the early hours of the morning

“Last night, a young male turned up who seemed to be going to great lengths to explore every nook and cranny of the street,” says Ortiz, who adds that she likes to think he is Duke’s son and that he's following in his dad's hoofsteps.

Ortiz has christened the youngster Spirit, a name she hopes will encapsulate "the curiosity, freedom and untamed beauty of nature". She added, "Duke has come to visit us again. It’s fascinating to see how they inspect every nook and cranny and how they move across the rocks in the cave and on the roof."

Food

The first regular visits attracted attention last summer, when Duke began roaming the upper part of Canillas de Aceituno in the early hours of the morning to feed on the leaves of a mulberry, a loquat and other trees. Weeks later, up to three males were spotted on a single night.

Canillas de Aceituno is situated in the foothills of La Maroma, within the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park. The municipality has 1,851 registered residents, while La Maroma, the highest peak in the province of Malaga, rises to an altitude of 2,069 metres.

The Andalusian regional government considers the Tejeda and Almijara mountain ranges to be one of the main habitats for the Spanish mountain goat. The species was once on the brink of extinction and subsequently suffered from the effects of scabies, although it is currently expanding its range and is relatively common to spot it in the most rugged areas of these mountains, which form the boundary between the provinces of Malaga and Granada.

The number of visitors reflects the town’s proximity to one of the main habitats of the Spanish mountain goat in the Axarquía mountains

While most residents watch their movements in amazement, others have occasionally complained that the animals feed on flowers or plants growing next to the façades and doors of their homes.

Ortiz’s photographs allow us to document, from a safe distance, this encounter between the town centre and wildlife. The Junta de Andalucía advises against disturbing or feeding wild animals, as such interaction can have a negative impact on their behaviour. Duke and Spirit, meanwhile, continue to roam the hills above the village of Canillas de Aceituno, once the streets have fallen silent.