Herd of Rocky mountain goats on an outcropping of Rocks in Idaho. They are using the rocks by climbing to safety.
he mountain goat is an even-toed ungulate of the order Artiodactyla and the family Bovidae that includes antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. It belongs to the subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes), along with 32 other species including true goats, sheep, the chamois, and the muskox. The mountain goat is the only species in the genus Oreamnos. The name Oreamnos is derived from the Greek term oros (stem ore-) "mountain" (or, alternatively, oreas "mountain nymph") and the word amnos "lamb". Both billy (male) and nanny (female)[2] mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15–28 cm (– in) in length, which contain yearly growth rings. They are protected from the elements by their woolly white double coats. The fine, dense wool of their undercoats is covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. Mountain goats molt in spring by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies shedding last. Their coats help them to withstand winter temperatures as low as −50 °F (−46 °C) and winds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h). A billy stands about 1 m ( ft) at the shoulder to the waist and can weigh considerably more than the nanny (around 30% more in some cases). Male goats also have longer horns and longer beards than females. Mountain goats can weigh between 45 and 140 kg (99 and 309 lb), though even billies will often weigh less than 82 kg (181 lb). The head-and-body length can range from 120–179 cm (47–70 in), with a small tail adding 10–20 cm (– in). The mountain goat's feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes with pitches exceeding 60°, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can spread apart. The tips of their feet have sharp dewclaws that keep them from slipping.
Size: 5120px × 3407px
Location: North Fork, Idaho, Lemhi County, USA
Photo credit: © Vincent Palermo / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: america, animals, cliffs, county, forest, fork, goats, horned, idaho, lemhi, mountain, north, oreamnos, return, river, rocky, service, species, threatened, true
