Rocky Mountain Goat
Oreamnos americanus
General Info
The Rocky Mountain Goat, also known as the Mountain Goat, are no truly goats. They are known as goat antelopes, because they are more closely related to antelopes. They have white fur to blend in with the snow in their enviornment. They have short horns that curve back, which, unlike other goats, are not used to butt heads. Their horns do no fall off, but grow longer with age. They are about four to five feet long, and about 100 to 340 pounds. They live for about 12 years, and are herbivores that eat grass, herbs, lichen, moss, and woody plants. There are about 75,000 to 110,000 known Rock Mountain Goats left in the world.
Behavior and Habitat
The Rocky Mountain Goat is native to North America, and lives at elevations of up to 13,000 feet. Their specialized hoofs are perfect for climbing on the steep slopes that they live on. A soft inner pad is surrounded by a hard casing, and the split toes split apart and help them with traction. They live in the tundra and deciduous forest biomes. Their mating time is November to early January, and the mothers care for their children for about 30 months. They form large groups in the winter, but in the summer they shed their coat and split into small groups. From there, they migrate higher on the slopes and congregate at salt licks.
Conservation
The Rocky Mountain Goat is not in danger, due to their inacessible enviornment. The Rocky Mountain Goats have been left mostly unaffected by humans. There are no laws protecting them currently, as they are not threatened.