Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Mountain Goat

I have been taking so few photos recently, so am now having to dig into my archives most of the time. The few times I have been out, I have either seen nothing or nothing that I can photograph. Now, there are very urgent things that need to be done, and I must put them first. When I visited the Calgary Zoo on 28 September 2014, I called in to see the Mountain Goats in their large, open enclosure ('mountain scene'). I've only seen these impressive animals in the wild a handful of times, and only from a great distance. "The Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its name, it is not a true goat, as it belongs to a different genus. It resides at high elevations and is a sure-footed climber, often resting on rocky cliffs that predators cannot reach. Both male and female mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15-28 cm 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. In warmer seasons, mountain goats molt by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies (males) shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies (females) shedding last. In the winter, their coats help them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 Fahrenheit (-46 Celsius) and winds of up to 100 mph (161 km/h). A billy stands about 1 meter (3'3") at the shoulder and weighs about 90 kg (200 lb.). It has longer horns and a longer beard than the nanny. Adult males typically weigh between 45 and 100 kg, while females are usually 10-30% lighter. The mountain goat's feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes, sometimes with pitches of 60 degrees or more, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can spread apart as needed. Dewclaws on the back of their feet also help to keep them from slipping."

Taken at the Calgary Zoo on 24 February 2012. I've only seen these Mountain Goats in the wild maybe a couple of times, and only from a great distance. Off for a day in the mountains - a last minute invite from friends - which is wonderful!

This large, impressive Mountain Goat resides at the Calgary Zoo, in the Canadian Wilds area. "The Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its name, it is not a true goat, as it belongs to a different genus. It resides at high elevations and is a sure-footed climber, often resting on rocky cliffs that predators cannot reach. Both male and female mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15-28 cm 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. In warmer seasons, mountain goats molt by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies (males) shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies (females) shedding last. In the winter, their coats help them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 Fahrenheit (-46 Celsius) and winds of up to 100 mph (161 km/h). A billy stands about 1 meter (3'3") at the shoulder and weighs about 90 kg (200 lb.). It has longer horns and a longer beard than the nanny. Adult males typically weigh between 45 and 100 kg, while females are usually 10-30% lighter. The mountain goat's feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes, sometimes with pitches of 60 degrees or more, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can spread apart as needed. Dewclaws on the back of their feet also help to keep them from slipping."

The light was starting to fade, but I just managed a final few Zoo shots. I love eye contact with the animals there!

One of the Mountain Goats housed at the Calgary Zoo, in a carefully designed enclosure that is a replica of a mountain scene. I have seen several in the wild, but only from a great distance.

What a scruffy looking animal! I have seen several of these Mountain Goats but only got a very distant view - tiny white specks on a very distant mountainside. The Calgary Zoo has done a good job of creating a pretty natural setting for these captive ones.