There could be as many as 100,000 mountain goats in North America, about half are found in British Columbia. Smaller isolated populations found in Alberta. They tend to stay close to the mountain range they are part of, except when some disperse to other areas. With some effort I can find them anytime of the year. Most times looking high up with the help of a binocular and or a camera. With aid I can enjoy watching them in their natural habitat. And a few times a year getting a wonderful opportunity to see them even closer with my naked eyes.
Mountain goat’s feet are designed for the animals to be able to easily move around the steep cliffs, even with slopes having pitches that exceed 60 degrees. They have powerful shoulder and neck muscles to help them move up steep slopes. Even though they are great climbers, they do have their limits. I have seen a number of times when an individual is not able to go down a difficult path, only to end up spending time finding their way back before finding an easier route to their destination. The kids, who are given birth in isolation, can follow their mother over challenging terrain two to three days later to join the herd. They are born climbers.
Watching them moving on the side of the mountain has to be my favorite part of watching the goats, trying to see what path they will take. Because of their extreme habitat, they seem to know just where to stop and pose to provide these amazing photo opportunities. And sometimes I’m close enough to take advantage of the opportunities by getting a photo or two.
