Fauna
Mammal · GBIF taxon 2441151

Mountain Goat

Oreamnos americanus

Also known as Rocky Mountain Goat

Mountain goats are master rock climbers that spend their lives above the treeline on steep cliff faces and alpine tundra. Their specialized hooves, featuring rubbery inner pads and sharp outer rims, allow them to grip near-vertical granite surfaces where few predators can follow. Draped in thick white wool coats, both males and females sport sharp, black horns used in high-stakes dominance displays.

AlpineMammalClimber
Mountain Goat reference1 / 7
Licensed referenceAdam Schneider / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Alpine Grasses
  • Lichens
  • Sedges
Predators
  • Cougar
  • Grizzly Bear
  • Gray Wolf
ThreatsClimate change, extreme winter weather, habitat loss
HabitatsAlpine tundra, cliffs, subalpine meadows
Life span12–15 years in the wild
Classification
  1. OrderArtiodactyla
  2. FamilyBovidae
  3. GenusOreamnos
  4. SpeciesOreamnos americanus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Maintain a distance of at least 50 meters, as habituated goats can be aggressive when seeking salt.
Why it is dangerous
Equipped with razor-sharp black horns, mountain goats can inflict severe puncture wounds if cornered or habituated to humans seeking salt.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for dense white wool, a bearded chin, and slender black horns curved slightly backward on both sexes.
What to do
Give goats at least 50 meters of space and yield the trail immediately if one approaches.
Responsible observation
  • Maintain distance: Keep at least 50 meters away, especially around trail summits where goats are accustomed to people.
  • Secure salt sources: Keep sweat-stained gear and urine away from goats, as they actively seek sodium sources.
  • Yield the path: Step off narrow cliff trails to give goats plenty of room to pass without feeling cornered.
Related species
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