COMMON NAME(S): Mountain Goat

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Oreamnos americanus

CLASSIFICATION: Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae

DESCRIPTION: Length: 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8 meters)
Height at the shoulder: 3-3.5 feet (0.9-1.1 meters)
Weight: 100-300 pounds (45.5-136 kg.)
General: Mountain goats are thick-bodied ungulates characterized by white hair and jet-black horns, eyes, nose and specially padded hooves.

RANGE: Rocky Mountains, Cascades and introduced to the Olympic Peninsula.

HABITAT: Primarily steep mountain slopes.

STATUS: General: Secure.
WA State: Secure.

DIET: Summer diet consists of grass, browse and forbs. Mineral and salt deposits are essential. Winter diet consists primarily of browse.

REPRODUCTION: Breeding season extends from October through December. The gestation period is about 8 months. Generally, the female gives birth to a single kid; however, twins are not uncommon. At birth the newborn weighs 7-8 pounds.

LIFE SPAN: About 10 years.

BEHAVIOR: Mountain goats are diurnal feeders that do not migrate. In the heat of the summer day they seek out cool shady spots on the north-facing slopes and create extensive dust wallows. Their natural selection has led to aggressive, horn-wielding females that zealously guard their kids and dominate males except during the rut. Courting males crawl on their bellies and squeak like baby goats in an attempt to win a nanny. After mating, the billy prudently leaves - or gets chased away.

NAMES: adult male - billy or buck; adult female - nanny or doe; baby - kid; group - herd

SOURCES: Wild Animals of North America - National Geographic
Lives of Game Animals - Seton
Game Animals of North America - Leonard Lee Rue