A mountain goat on Mt. Evans in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
The 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 thirty-two other species including true goats, sheep, the chamois, and the musk ox. 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". The mountain goat inhabits the Rocky Mountains and Cascade Range regions of North America. Its northernmost range is said to be along the northern fringe of the Chugach Mountains in south-central Alaska. Introduced populations can also be found in such areas as Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, Texas, South Dakota and the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Mountain goats are the largest mammals found in their high-altitude habitats, which reach elevations of 13,000 feet (4,000 m) or more. Although they sometimes descend to sea level in coastal areas, they are primarily an alpine and subalpine species. Throughout the year, the animals usually stay above the tree line, but they will migrate seasonally to higher or lower elevations within that range. Winter migrations to low-elevation mineral licks often take them several or more kilometers through forested areas.
Size: 5184px × 3456px
Location: Mount Evans, Rocky Mountains, Colorado USA
Photo credit: © Ed Endicott / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: adult, altitude, america, americanus, animal, artiodactyla, bovidae, capra, caprinae, colorado, evans, goat, high, mammal, mount, mountain, mountains, mt, north, oreamnos, rocky, tundra, ungulate, wildlife
