The Rocky Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) is an even-toed ungulate (hoofed) mammal. It is related to the Blue Sheep (Pseudois nayaur).
The Rocky Mountain Goat has a white double coat of fur – an undercoat and an outer layer. The undercoat has fine, dense wool and the outer layer has longer, hollow hairs. Both the male and the female have beards and long black horns. It has orange-brown eyes.
It measures about 100 centimetres (39 inches) tall and 120-179 centimetres (47-70 inches) long. Its tail is short at about 10-20 centimetres (4-8 inches) long. Its horns measure 15-28 centimetres (6-11 inches) long.
The Rocky Mountain Goat is native to North America. It prefers sub-alpine and alpine regions.
It is a sure-footed climber, even on cliffs and ice. It has inner pads and cloven (split) hooves that spread apart, enabling it to stick to rocky slopes and cliffs.
It is an herbivorous grazer, eating mainly grass. It also eats ferns, sedges, mosses, lichens, leaves, and twigs.
The male is called a billy and the female is called a nanny. Their young are called kids. Nannies form loose-knit nursery groups of up to 50 individuals.
The female is pregnant for about 180 days, before giving birth to a single kid. The kid can run and climb soon after birth.
In the wild, the Rocky Mountain Goat usually lives for 12-15 years.
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM