An amazingly beautiful animal lives in the mountains, which belongs to the family of bovids. If you are lucky enough to see how these handsome men in white fur coats jump from a cliff to a cliff, this spectacle will be remembered for a lifetime. Such a miracle of nature is called - a snow goat. After reading this article, you will learn many interesting facts from the life of these horned climbers.
Snow goat: description
Goats living among the rocks are extremely large: the growth of adults reaches 100-106 cm, weighing 90-140 kg. Males can easily be distinguished from females by a much larger size; otherwise, “boys” and “girls” are not much different in appearance.
This mountain goat resembles an ordinary domestic goat with its horns, which do not differ in large sizes. They are relatively small, smooth, slightly curved. Depending on the season, the horns change color. In the warm season, they are gray, and in the cold winter - black.
An elongated head of medium size rests on a powerful neck. There is a characteristic beard on the beard. The limbs of mountain jumpers are extremely strong, thanks to such strong legs the goats can easily cope with the steepest and most dangerous climbs and descents. Hooves in black. The tail is so short that due to the magnificent fur it is almost not noticeable.
A distinctive feature of these animals is their amazingly beautiful fur coat. It is especially striking in its chic look in the winter. At this time, white wool is especially thick, long, sagging with lush fringe.
Habitat
No heights and rocks are terrible to such an animal as a snow goat. Where this bold creation of nature dwells is not hard to guess - in the mountains. Unfortunately, the population of these artiodactyls is declining. In the wild, such a snow-white mountain goat is found exclusively on the slopes of the cliffs of North America. Horned climbers are able to climb peaks up to 3000 m.
In ancient times, snow goats inhabited all the expanses of North America. But over time, people drove them out of their native places step by step. The animals had to go further away in search of solitude and tranquility.
Wildlife Lifestyle
Snow goats are not herd animals. They can live alone or in small groups (3-4 individuals). They rarely conflict with each other, if an undesirable conflict is brewing, they take a kneeling position, which helps to smooth out the situation. The nature of these animals is calm. They are not too active, inactive, although they have to lead a nomadic life in order to get food.
Moving along the rocks, the mountainous white beauties do not like to rush, they do not like to make sudden movements and jumps, unless necessary. Slowly, like real climbers, artiodactyls manage to climb to dizzying heights.
A large powerful body does not at all prevent the goats from holding hooves on small stones. If, climbing a cliff, the animal sees that it will not succeed in getting down, then it simply jumps down, even from a height of 7 meters. In such a jump, a snow goat can turn up to 60 degrees. If the hooves do not find a flat landing area, she simply pushes them and makes the next jump until she confidently gets to her feet.
Diet
Snow goats, to feed themselves, occupy an area of about 4.5 - 4.7 square kilometers. In autumn, they migrate to the southern and western slopes of the mountains. They don’t like to go down to the valleys; they look for slopes that have not yet been covered by a layer of snow.
Mountain animals graze in the morning and evening. If the moon illuminates the terrain well, then the goats' meal continues even after the sun sets. The menu includes all the vegetation available to them: grass, wild grasses, moss, shrubs, tree branches, lichens. Moss and lichens, herbivorous handsome men dig hooves from under the snow. Branches of bushes, leaves and bark nibble. In captivity, the favorite treat of snow goats is fruits and vegetables.
Mating season
Snow goats are polygamous animals, they do not differ in fidelity to each other. The mating season falls on the cold season: November-December. At this time, the males begin to mark the territory, spreading a special fluid. The specific smell of their marks informs the females of the male’s loving nature. Behind the goat’s horns is the gland that secretes this fluid, so it rubs its horns against rocks and trees, thereby leaving its unusual smell everywhere.
When a female meets a snow goat, it should deserve its location with unusual and even funny, if viewed from the side, movements. First, he sits on his hind legs, while digging a hole in the ground with his front. Then, sticking out his tongue, he follows his chosen one on the heels of his bent limbs, showing humility with all his appearance. This whole play is being played out so that the snow goat reciprocates. After the horned boyfriend hits the female slightly on the side, and she does not do the same in response, it becomes clear that the pair took place by mutual agreement.
Progeny
Within six months, a snow goat hatches offspring. It always gives birth while standing, while in most cases one kid appears, which weighs about 3 kg.
Newborn babies are very active, from the first days of life they walk quickly and feed on their mother’s milk with appetite. After 30-35 days of a milk diet, the kids begin to eat plant foods, graze with their mother and the rest of the group.
Snow goat: interesting facts
The lifestyle of snow goats is unusual, primarily because of the highlands where these amazing creatures live.
There are many interesting facts about white handsome men:
- Fifty degrees of frost with a strong wind are not afraid of snow goats. In such extreme weather, animals are reliably protected by thick, lush, warm coat.
- Bifurcation on the hoof, depending on the situation and need, can narrow and expand. Thanks to this, the animal is able to move around any terrain with a slope of no more than 60 degrees.
- Matriarchy reigns in the group of snow goats: the leader is the female.
- It is impossible to see a snow goat in a forest or in a field; they live only in the mountains, sometimes they walk along salt licks.
- In ancient times, Indians gathered wool over the rocks, which snow goats dump during molting. Woolen fabrics were made from goat down.
They are true experts at high altitude movement.