The Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) is also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat.
It is a large, even-toed ungulate mammal found only in North America. Despite their name, they are not a ‘true goat’, as they belong to a different genus.
The Mountain Goat resides at high elevations and is a sure-footed climber, often resting on rocky cliffs that predators cannot reach. The Mountain Goat belongs to the subfamily Caprinae, along with 32 other species including true goats, sheep, the chamois and the musk ox.
Mountain Goat Description
Mountain Goats stand around 3 feet 3 inches at the shoulder. Both male (billy) and female (nanny) have beards, short tails and long black horns, however, the males horns and beard are longer than the females. Horns can grow to measure 15 – 28 centimetres and have yearly growth rings. Mountain goats typically weigh between 45 and 136 kilograms (100 – 300 pounds) and females are usually 10 – 30% lighter than males.
Mountain Goats have double coats to protect them from the cold. Their undercoats are fine dense wool which are covered by an outer coat of longer, hollow hairs. In warmer summer months, mountain goats rub against rocks and trees to help molting. Their coats help them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 Fahrenheit and winds of up to 100 miles per hour.
Mountain Goats feet are well adapted for climbing steep, rocky slopes with cloven hooves that spread apart as required. They have dew claws on the back of their feet that help them from slipping.
Mountain Goat Habitat
Mountain goats inhabit rocky terrain in alpine and sub alpine regions. Mountain goats frequent extremely steep slopes with pitches above 60 degrees. Mountain goats seasonally migrate from higher rockslide slopes and alpine meadows in the spring and summer to lower elevations in the winter, however, they usually remain above the timberline in winter.
Mountain Goat Diet
Although they have gained notoriety for their shows of aggression, mountain goats spend most of their time quietly grazing. Their diet includes grasses, herbs, sedges, ferns, moss, lichen, twigs and leaves from the low-growing shrubs and conifers of their high-altitude habitat.
Mountain Goat Behaviour
Although mountain goats sometimes descend to sea level in coastal areas, they are primarily an alpine and sub alpine species. Throughout the year, the animals usually stay above the snow line, however, they do migrate seasonally to higher or lower altitudes within that range. Summertime migrations to low altitude mineral licks often take them several or more kilometres through forested areas.
Mountain Goat Reproduction
In terms of mountain goat reproduction, breeding season occurs late May to early June. Mountain goats reach sexual maturity at about 30 months. The gestation period for the female mountain goat (nanny) is around 6 months. Nannies move to an isolated edge and usually give birth to a single young (kid). Kids weigh around 3 kilograms (7 pounds) at birth. Within hours of being born, the kid attempts to run and climb. Kids are weaned within 1 month and continue to follow their mother around for their first year.
After the breeding season is over, males and females move away from each other, with the adult billies breaking up into small bands of two or three individuals. Nannies form loose-knit nursery groups of up to 50 animals.
Female mountain goats use their fighting abilities to protect themselves and their offspring from predators, such as wolves, wolverines, cougars, lynx and bears. Even at higher higher altitudes, nannies still must defend their young from golden eagles, which can be a threat to very young kids.
Mountain Goat Conservation Status
The Mountain Goat is classed as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN.
Mbuzi wa Milimani (Oreamnos americanus) pia huitwa Mbuzi wa Milima ya Rocky. Ni mnyama mkubwa mwenye vidole vilivyo sawa anayepatikana tu katika Amerika Kaskazini. Licha ya jina lao, si <unk>mbuzi wa kweli<unk>, kwa kuwa wanashiriki katika jamii tofauti. Mbuzi wa Mlima huishi mahali palipoinuka sana na hupanda mlima kwa nguvu, mara nyingi akipumzika kwenye miamba ambayo wawindaji hawawezi kuifikia. Mbuzi wa Mlima ni wa jamii ya Caprinae, pamoja na spishi 32 nyingine, ikiwa ni pamoja na mbuzi wa kweli, kondoo, chamois na ng'ombe wa musk. Mbuzi wa Mlima (Mountain Goat) ni mbuzi mwenye urefu wa mita 3 na inchi 3 kwenye bega. Wanaume na wanawake wana ndevu, mikia mifupi na pembe ndefu nyeusi, lakini wanaume wana pembe ndefu na ndevu ndefu kuliko wanawake. Pembe zake zinaweza kukua hadi sentimita 15 hadi 28 na zina pete za ukuaji wa kila mwaka. Mbuzi wa milimani kwa kawaida hupima kati ya kilo 45 na 136 na wanawake kwa kawaida ni nyepesi kwa asilimia 10 hadi 30 kuliko wanaume. Mbuzi wa milimani ana manyoya mawili ili kuwalinda dhidi ya baridi. Manyoya yao ya chini ni ya sufu nyembamba ambayo hufunikwa na manyoya ya nje ya nywele ndefu, zisizo na sehemu. Katika miezi ya kiangazi yenye joto, mbuzi wa milimani huvuta miamba na miti ili kusaidia kugeuka rangi. Kwa sababu ya manyoya yake, anaweza kuvumilia joto la chini ya -50 Fahrenheit na upepo wa kasi ya kilomita 100 kwa saa. Miguu ya mbuzi wa milimani imeboreshwa vizuri kwa ajili ya kupanda mteremko wenye miamba na manyoya yaliyogawanyika ambayo huenea mbali kadiri inavyohitajika. Wana makucha ya umande nyuma ya miguu yao ambayo huwasaidia wasitumbukie. Mbuzi wa Milimani Mbuzi wa Milimani huishi katika maeneo yenye miamba katika maeneo ya milimani na chini ya milimani. Mbuzi wa milimani huishi kwenye mteremko wenye mwinuko mkubwa sana, ambao huelekea juu ya digrii 60. Mbuzi wa milimani huhamia kutoka kwenye mteremko wa juu wa miamba na nyasi za alpine katika majira ya kuchipua na majira ya joto hadi kwenye maeneo ya chini ya ardhi wakati wa baridi kali, hata hivyo, kwa kawaida hubaki juu ya mstari wa mbao wakati wa baridi. Mbuzi wa Mlima - Ingawa wamepata umaarufu kwa sababu ya uhasama wao, mbuzi wa mlima hutumia wakati wao mwingi kwa utulivu wakila. Chakula chao ni pamoja na nyasi, mimea, sedges, ferns, moss, lichen, matawi na majani kutoka kwa vichaka vya chini na conifers ya makazi yao ya juu. Mbuzi wa Mlima: Ingawa mbuzi wa mlima wakati mwingine huanguka hadi usawa wa bahari katika maeneo ya pwani, wao ni hasa aina ya alpine na subalpine. Kwa mwaka mzima, wanyama hawa hukaa juu ya theluji, lakini wanahamia kwa msimu hadi maeneo ya juu au ya chini. Wakati wa majira ya kiangazi, mara nyingi wao husafiri umbali wa kilometa kadhaa au zaidi kupitia maeneo yenye misitu. Kuzaliana kwa Mbuzi wa Mlima Kwa habari ya kuzaliana kwa mbuzi wa mlima, msimu wa kuzaliana hutokea mwishoni mwa Mei hadi mwanzoni mwa Juni. Mbuzi wa milimani hufikia ukomavu wa kijinsia akiwa na umri wa miezi 30 hivi. Kipindi cha ujauzito kwa mbuzi wa kike wa milimani (mzazi) ni karibu miezi sita. Watoto-mama huhamia kwenye ukingo uliojitenga na kwa kawaida huzaa mtoto mmoja tu. Watoto wanazidi uzito wa kilo 3 wanapozaliwa. Baada ya saa chache tu kuzaliwa, mtoto huyo anajaribu kukimbia na kupanda. Watoto huondolewa kwenye damu baada ya mwezi mmoja na huendelea kumfuata mama yao kwa mwaka wao wa kwanza. Baada ya msimu wa kuzaliana kumalizika, wanaume na wanawake huondoka mbali, na vifaranga wakubwa hugawanyika katika vikundi vidogo vya watu wawili au watatu. Kwa mfano, watoto wa kambo hufanyiza vikundi vya watoto vinavyoweza kuwa na wanyama 50. Mbuzi wa kike wa milimani hutumia uwezo wao wa kupigana ili kujilinda na watoto wao kutokana na wawindaji kama vile mbwa mwitu, wolverines, cougars, lynx na dubu. Hata katika maeneo ya juu, walezi wanapaswa kuwalinda watoto wao dhidi ya tai wa dhahabu, ambao wanaweza kuwa hatari kwa watoto wadogo. Hali ya Uhifadhi wa Mbuzi wa Mlima Mbuzi wa Mlima amewekwa kama <unk>Uhangaiko mdogo<unk> na IUCN.