Mountain Goat Facts and Background Information
Bob & Nancy Ulrich's Outdoor Adventures Online

 
Mountain Goat (Oreamnos Americanus)

The Mountain Goat is white with black horns, and weighs from 150 pounds to as large as 300 pounds. That is smaller than a pony, but larger than even a Saint Bernard dog. They are 3 to 4 feet tall and  have special hooves and a slender body to help them get around on mountain tops and cliffs ledges. The male and female look alike, as both have horns. The males is bigger and his horn is slightly thicker.  It is hard to tell them apart, unless a baby goat is near by the momma.

They are not actually a goat at all, but a member of the antelope family. Although they live at different elevations, they are found in locations near cliffs and rugged mountain tops. This is one reason people usually don't see them. As you would guess from their scientific name, Oreamnos Americanus, they are native to North American. This is why part of their name is Americanus. Mountain Goats are found in a number of places from Alaska to the Rocky Mountains		 gp05ph04.jpg (11668 bytes)












gp05ph09.jpg (29897 bytes) Mountain Goats travel in groups called bands.

 Banding  Together. A Band is made of Nanny Goats (Momma and other Female Goats), Baby Goats called Kids, and some younger male goat yearlings. The male goats, or Billies, live off by themselves most of the year. Kid Goats learn fast, and within a week can follow the band up cliffs.
Year Round Horns:
Mountain goats have horns that do not fall out like dear. They stay on year round. The horns are black and curve backwards   and grow to 10 to 12 inches in length. Male Mountain goats have slightly thicker horns, but it is difficult to see the difference.
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Hooves like hiking boots!

Mountain goat hooves help them climb the rugged cliffs where they live. Their hoof has special soft rubber-like pads underneath a hard outer lining. The pads work like the soles of hiking boots work for people, only better. They allow the mountain goat to quickly climb up the side of a cliff to escape a mountain lion, or other danger.
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