An 82-year-old sheep herder in Neuquén recovered nearly 60 missing goats after days of searching on foot through the rain. According to Lanacion, local neighbors and a drone operator located the animals approximately 18 kilometers from his outpost in the Picún Leufú area, ending a six-day ordeal.
Don Pascual Railaf, an 82-year-old shepherd living in the Neuquén region, spent days searching for nearly 60 goats that serve as his primary economic livelihood. According to reporting by Lanacion, the animals went missing after he brought them to his outpost at midday, only to notice by the afternoon that a large portion of the herd had failed to return alongside a few stragglers.
Enduring rain and walking without a horse, Don Pascual searched the surrounding zone of his outpost for days without picking up their trail. I’m on foot, I don’t have a horse. I don’t have help from anyone
, he explained during a media interview while appealing for assistance, noting that he was unsure whether the animals had wandered off or had been taken.
Drone Search Locates Rebaño 18 Kilometers Away
The search shifted when Juan Villanueva deployed a drone to scan the region. According to Lanacion, the aerial search located the missing herd roughly 18 kilometers away from Don Pascual’s outpost in the Picún Leufú area. Relatives and neighbors including Gabriel Parada and José López then tracked the animals through the rain to guide them back.
When Don Pascual was finally shown images of the discovered herd, he wept and began identifying individual animals by name and appearance. There go all my little goats. Poor little animals, look where they are
, he said.
Don Pascual Railaf said, There goes my little black goat, the other overa, the other white one, my white billy goat.
Life at the Outpost and Named Goats
Before the animals went missing, Don Pascual described his solitary life living in the area for 29 years, noting he had no close relatives nearby and preferred to avoid large gatherings. His livelihood centered on tending to his animals through both winter and summer.
He knew the herd thoroughly, describing specific sizes, colors, and features—including black goats, overas, two small black kids, and a white billy goat. He had also hand-raised three female kids and given them names: Muñeca, Mimosa, and Mariposa. He expressed confidence that upon hearing his voice, they would respond and recognize him.
