Mountain Goat
Oreamnos americanus
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 6,096
- Most observed in
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a cloven-footed mammal that is endemic to the remote and rugged mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to truly alpine species, it is a sure-footed climber commonly seen on sheer rock faces, near-vertical cliffs and icy passages. Mountain goats generally avoid venturing down into lower elevations—except during seasonal food shortages or during particularly bad weather—as the extreme elevation of their habitat is the primary defense against predators such as black and brown bears, pumas and…
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Mountain goat”.