Photo, video. Snow goat. Photo Where the mountain goat lives

Detachment - artiodactyls

Family - bovids

Genus/Species - Oreamnos americanus. snow goat

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Height at withers: 90-105 cm.

Length: 125-175 cm.

Horns length: up to 30 cm.

Weight: 45-135 kg.

BREEDING

Puberty: as a rule, from 2.5 years.

Mating period: November-January.

Pregnancy: 186 days.

Number of cubs: 1-2, most often 1.

LIFESTYLE

Habits: snow goats (see photo) keep in small herds; active mainly during the day.

Food: green parts of plants in summer, bark and branches in winter, mosses and lichens all year round.

Lifespan: males 14 years old, females up to 18 years old.

RELATED SPECIES

To the subfamily of goats and rams belongs, for example, chamois.

Snow goat in the Moscow Zoo. Video (00:02:31)

The snow goat is a member of a small subfamily of goats and rams. The snow goat easily moves along seemingly impregnable rocks with barely noticeable ledges and cornices.

WHAT DOES IT FEED

Snow goats graze in the morning and evening. If the night is moonlit, they feed after sunset. Snow goats graze on the mountain slopes. In addition to grass, they also eat the leaves of most green plants.

With the arrival of autumn, snow goats move to the southern and western slopes of the Rocky Mountains. They do not descend into the valleys, but graze on those slopes where there is no snow yet. Animals use their front hooves to dig out moss and lichens from under the snow. Snow goats gnaw the bark and branches of low bushes. In order to feed, this animal needs a plot of about 4.6 km 2.

Most time snow goats live above the upper limit of the forest. At the beginning of summer, they descend into the forest to salt licks. When food is scarce, mountain goats stay in their territory for a long time and vigorously defend food sources from their relatives.

LIFESTYLE

Snow goats usually keep in small herds. They are found above the upper forest line on rocky slopes and snow-covered peaks. In winter, several groups of these ungulates unite in large herds.

Goats are sedentary for most of the year. They very dexterously walk along sheer cliffs with barely noticeable ledges and cornices. For them, walking along a narrow, ice-covered ledge and jumping down seven to eight meters is a common thing. In case of danger, snow goats do not go into the quarry, as other goats do, but slowly leave.

In winter, the upper belt of the Rocky Mountains is left by all animals, with the exception of snow goats. In warm sunny days these animals like to bask on small rock shelves. Before nightfall, they dig a shallow hole in the hardened snow with their front hooves at the foot of the rocks and spend the night in it. Snow goats have few natural enemies. In winter, there are no other large mammals in the areas inhabited by snow goats, and the snow-white coat camouflages the goats well on the white snow. Sometimes, with the blows of the wings, they try to throw the goats off the cliff. In summer, snow goats are occasionally attacked. During the transitions to the valleys to salt licks, snow goats are attacked by baribals, grizzlies and wolves.

BREEDING

The mating season of snow goats falls on November-early January. During the rut, the male finds a herd of females and joins it. Often in one herd there can be two males who keep some distance from each other. Excited male snow goats dog-like dig the ground with their front legs and throw mud on their belly and sides. When meeting during the rutting season, male snow goats become side by side, their heads are directed in different directions, the males arch their backs and raise their hair.

If this does not frighten the enemy, then the males begin to circle around each other and try to hit each other on the hind legs or sides. Since in snow goats the female is higher than the male on the hierarchical levels, during the rut the male approaches her in a special way. He runs after the female on half-bent legs, with his tongue hanging out, showing his humility and subordination. If the female does not like the courtship of the male, then she beats him under the ribs with her horns. If the female is favorable to the male, then the animals mate.

A goat gives birth to one kid. A newborn weighs about four kilograms. Within half an hour he is on his feet. The newborn hooves are soft, but gradually their edges harden, and then the kids dare to walk on the rocks. In September, lactation stops, but the kid stays with his mother until the start of the rut.

INTERESTING FACTS. DO YOU KNOW WHAT...

• There are cases when a bighorn goat defended itself from a grizzly and defeated him. However, this rarely happens, more often goats that have met grizzlies on their way and die.
• The snow goat is a resident of high mountain regions, but it easily adapts to life in captivity. Zookeepers should keep animals out of the rain. The thick coat of a mountain goat is easily saturated with water, as a result, the animal can get pneumonia.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE SNOW GOAT. DESCRIPTION

Horns: black in winter, gray in summer, slightly curved backwards, with shallow notches. The females have shorter horns.

Wool: thick and fluffy. The undercoat is light and thin. White color. The coat becomes shorter in summer. The length of the beard does not change throughout the year.

Young: He also has very small feet.

Hooves: sharp hard edges and a resilient surface are ideal for moving over rocks. Hooves are black in winter, gray in summer.

Legs: quite short and strong.

- Habitat of the snow goat

WHERE LIVES

The snow goat lives only in the Rocky Mountains of southeastern Alaska to the states of Oregon and Montana.

PRESERVATION

Previously, snow goats were threatened by hunters. Today the animals are protected. They were acclimatized even in other parts North America.

In the rocky mountains of North America, there is a beautiful and graceful animal - the bighorn goat. Thick white coat, impressive size and extraordinary climbing talents make her very interesting representative animal world.

Outwardly, the snow goat is similar to a domestic one. The body is slightly compressed from the sides, the legs are muscular and strong. The neck is massive. The muzzle is square, with a pronounced "beard". The horns are relatively small, smooth, slightly curved and very sharp.

They are black in winter and gray in summer. The hooves are always black. The tail is short, sometimes almost invisible under the coat. The height at the withers is from 80 to 110 cm. Adult females weigh 60-90 kg, males - 95-130 kg. Thick coat helps these animals withstand icy winds and temperatures down to -50 ° C. The color is most often white, but in some individuals it can be light gray.

In summer, the coat is softer and shorter, it grows back for the winter. It is shorter on the lower part of the legs. Bunches of this wool, left on bushes or stones after molting, were once collected by the Indians - warm and pleasant to the touch clothes were obtained from it.

Snow goats have an excellent sense of balance, allowing them to move along the narrowest mountain paths and climb up, leaning on tiny ledges. They can jump to a distance of 7-8 m and at the same time change the trajectory of movement up to 60 ° in the air. A perfect eye allows them to accurately jump to the smallest ledges in the rocks. If such a goat got into the "climber's dead end", that is, a platform from which it is impossible to get off, it simply jumps down to a height of 6-7 m.

If necessary, the animal makes a series of such jumps, between them only for a fraction of a second touching the slope with its hooves and again pushing off from it. And so on until it is on a relatively flat place. Under natural conditions, snow goats live 12-15 years, in captivity - 16-20 years.

Character and lifestyle

Snow goats can live alone or in small herds of 2-4 individuals. Most often, adult males become "hermits". Groups are dominated by females. Members of the herd are friendly and calm to each other, rarely come into conflict. If a weak individual wants to avoid a fight with a relative, she takes a kneeling posture. But in protecting their territories from other species, these goats are aggressive - they can attack bighorn sheep, sometimes they attack people.

They lead a nomadic lifestyle. They can stay in the pasture until they run out of food, after which they begin to look for a new one. Snow goats move slowly and smoothly, which is why they seem inactive, but this pace does not prevent them from climbing to a height of up to 3 thousand meters. They are not prone to active and violent games. At night, they sleep in small depressions that they dig with their hooves.

Sharp eyesight helps these animals to notice predators from afar. In this case, they have time to leave, and if this is not possible, they defend themselves with the help of horns. Most often they are hunted by cougars. Goats are often kidnapped by eagles. Other natural enemies - wolverines, bears, wolves and lynxes - usually do not rise to the height at which goats live, and attack only when the latter approach the edge of the forest in the valleys. Often snow goats die due to avalanches.

What does it eat

Snow goats eat almost all plants that they can find in the mountains: ferns, grass, wild grasses, moss and lichens, bark and young branches of trees and shrubs. When kept in captivity, they eat fruits and vegetables with pleasure. In summer, they prefer to forage high in the mountains, away from predators.

In winter, they move to the western and southern slopes of the mountains. If necessary, they dig out food from under the snow with their hooves. They graze in the evening and in the morning, and if the weather is clear, then at night in the moonlight. Once a year they descend into the salt marshes.

Where does it live

The main habitats of the snow goat in the United States are the Olympic Peninsula and the mountains of the states of Montana, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, as well as southeast Alaska.

In Canada, they can be found in the south of the Yukon, in British Columbia, as well as in the province of Alberta. Although these animals have hardly been targeted hunting, they are under the threat of extinction due to the fact that people displace them from their usual habitats. Now the animals are under state protection.

How it breeds

The mating season begins in November, may capture December. At this time, males often fight: when they meet, they puff up their hair and arch their backs to appear larger, and also dig the ground with their hooves. If one of the opponents did not give up, the opponents begin to circle, trying to hit each other in the side with their horns. Most often, the duel ends bloodlessly, but the sharp horns of a goat can sometimes inflict a mortal wound on an opponent.

Behind the horns of males are glands that secrete an odorous secret. To attract the attention of females with it, goats rub their horns against trees and rocks. Since snow goats have matriarchy, males show their humility and even “embarrassment” as courtship: they sit on the ground, digging small holes with their front hooves, and follow females on half-bent legs, sticking out their tongues. If the goat does not want to engage, she can drive the goat away by hitting him in the side with her horns.

It has impressive dimensions - height at the withers: 90 - 105 cm, length: 125 - 175 cm, weight: 45 - 135 kg.

Males are much larger than females, otherwise there are no differences between them. The snow goat has a square muzzle, a massive neck and strong strong legs.

In its size, the snow is similar to mountain goats, and the shape of the horns resembles an ordinary domestic goat. The horns are small: 20–30 cm, smooth, slightly curved, without transverse ridges.

Lush coat covers like a fur coat, and has a white or gray color. AT warm time During the year, the goat's coat becomes soft and velvet-like, but in winter it grows back and falls down like a fringe.

The coat is the same length all over the body, except for the lower part of the legs - there the coat is shorter, and a long tuft of coarse hair hangs down on the chin, creating the so-called "beard".

Snow goat in the photo looks quite powerful - thick wool makes it bigger. Goats have black hooves, and the horns can change color from black in winter to gray in summer.

Despite their size, goats deftly move along steep cliffs and narrow rocky paths. Snow goat - which is capable of jumping 7 - 8 meters in length, changing the trajectory in the jump and landing on small ledges in the mountain.

Snow goats have very acute vision, they see the enemy from afar, and unlike other mountain goats, they do not rush at the enemy, but can safely hide. If a collision cannot be avoided, mountain goats may try to fight off the predator with their horns.

Snow goat fight

The snow goat is distinguished by its friendly character. Due to the structural features of the limbs, which help to take a special kneeling posture, most conflicts can be avoided.

Habitat and lifestyle of the mountain goat

Snow goats live in the Rocky Mountains of southeastern Alaska and are distributed to the states of Oregon and Montana, as well as on the Olympic Peninsula, in Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming. In Canada, the mountain goat is found in the province of Alberta, British Columbia, in the south of the Yukon Territory.

They spend most of their lives above the upper border of the forest, on the rocky snow-capped mountains. Goats lead a nomadic lifestyle, gathering in small groups of 3-4 individuals, however, there are also loners.

When the goats find a suitable area, they settle there for a long time until they run out of food. In winter, several groups unite and create a large herd.

They remain the only inhabitants of the upper belt of the Rocky Mountains, while other mountain people move into more comfortable conditions. Before nightfall, goats dig shallow holes in the snow with their front hooves and spend the night there.

Their wool is quite dense and does not allow goats to freeze. cold winter in the mountains. found at altitudes up to 3 thousand meters above sea level and are able to endure frosts down to minus 40 degrees.

Snow goats have few natural enemies. Their habitats, difficult for many predators, allow goats to maintain a population. However, white-headed ones are dangerous - they are able to throw a kid off a cliff; and in summer, goats can be hunted, which deftly move around the rocky terrain.

Judging by photo of snow goats in winter, white color plays an important role - it is perfectly camouflaged in the snow. Despite the fact that the areas where the mountain goat lives are quite remote, and there is no threat of extinction of the species, it is under protection.

In the photo, the confrontation between two male snow goats

Snow goats were never hunted, people were content with bundles of wool that they found on the rocks, making woolen fabrics from them. Due to their lightness and warmth, they were of high value.

What do snow goats eat?

Bighorn goat nutrition can be called quite diverse for their habitat. In the mountains all year round they can find moss and lichens, digging them out with their front hooves from under the ground and snow.

In winter, in the mountains, goats feed on bark, branches of trees and low shrubs. In the summer goats descend from high mountains in salt licks, and green grass, ferns, wild grasses, leaves and needles from low shrubs are added to the diet.

In the photo, a snow goat eats grass

Goats graze in the morning and evening, and can also look for food on a bright moonlit night. Goats move over large areas - about 4.6 km2 is required adult to find enough food. In captivity, the bighorn goat, like domestic goats, in addition to their usual food, eat fruits and vegetables.

Reproduction and lifespan

In November - early January, snow goats have a mating season. Males who have reached 2.5 years of age join the group of females. Males rub against the bark of trees with their horns, behind which odorous glands are located, to attract the attention of females.

It happens that two males are nailed to the herd, so first they must prove to each other and to the females who is stronger. they are able to puff up their hair and arch their backs, then they intensively dig the ground with their front hooves, showing their hostility to their opponent.

In the photo, the mating season of snow goats

If this does not help, the males move in a circle, trying to hit the enemy with their horns on the belly or hind legs. Males must show their affection and obedience to the female.

To do this, they begin to actively run after females, sticking out their tongue and on half-bent legs. The decision on mating is made by the female - if she liked the male, then mating will take place, if not, then the female hits the male with her horns under the ribs, thereby driving him away.

Snow goat pregnancy lasts 186 days and brings more often than one cub, weighing about 4 kilograms. A goat, which is only half an hour old, is able to stand on its feet, and at the age of one month it begins to eat grass.

Pictured is a snow goat cub

Despite this independence, the first year of life, the kid is near the mother. Life span of snow goats is 12-25 years in nature and 16-20 years in captivity.

Snow goat (lat. Oreamnos americanus) is a breed of goats living in the mountains from the bovid family. The snow goat is the only representative of this family. They are very similar to mountain goats, but do not belong to this species. With mountain goats, they are distinguishable by their appearance, by which this animal can be identified.

The Snow Goat's winter coat is such that it can withstand frosts down to -50 degrees Celsius with winds up to 150 kilometers per hour. In addition, both females and males of the bighorn goat wear a thick beard, which also does not interfere.

The Snow Goat's hooves are the perfect tool for mountain climbing. They are non-slip, bifurcated and can be extended as needed to provide traction. All this is allowed to climb slopes up to 60 degrees.

Snow goats have an incredible ability to climb, walk on completely sheer cliffs with barely noticeable ledges and cornices; it seems completely incomprehensible how such large animals can stay there. They move slowly, lazily and very rarely jump.

At the same time, if Snow goats jump, then usually down, sometimes by 6-7 m, onto a barely noticeable, often icy ledge. If the area of ​​the ledge onto which the goat has jumped is too small, it does not try to linger on it, but only pushes away from it and jumps to the next one, sometimes turning almost 180° in the air. When in danger, the mountain goat can move at high speed.

Snow goats are very large: their height at the withers is 90-105 cm, weight 85-135 kg. Because of the lush coat, they look even bigger. The small horns give a great resemblance to domestic goats, however they do not reach the same size as mountain goats. Bighorn goats have horns that are different from others in their family: the horns are smooth and slightly curved. They also differ in a slightly square muzzle, strong neck and strong legs. Their tail is very short. Thick wool covers like a fur coat. By summer, their fur becomes much shorter and resembles velvet; in winter, the coat grows back and sags in a lush fringe. Wool - the same length, and only below the knees it is somewhat shorter than on the body. They have a tuft of wool on their beard, as the common people call the “goat beard”, which is very similar to the beard of mountain goats.

Snow goats are real beauties. Their fur is white almost all year round, and their hooves are black. The most beautiful thing about these animals is that the color of their horns changes: black in winter, and gray in summer. Snow goats and their stronger sex are almost indistinguishable in appearance, however, the Snow goat is larger than the female.

Goats live only in the rocky mountains of North America, they live very high, they can climb mountains to a height of about 3000 m. In the recent past, their territory occupied the entire mountain system, but at this time they were forced out into remote areas and special protected areas. Snow goats lead a nomadic life, moving over bare rocks and patches of alpine meadows. They never enter the forests, but sometimes they visit salt licks.

Snow goats are more restrained and modest, unlike relatives - mountain goats. Firstly, they will never live in large herds, their groups are 2-4 individuals or live a solitary life. Secondly, the head of the herd is the female, and the males obey her. Thirdly, Snow goats are inactive. They move differently on the mountain slopes, not like mountain goats: they avoid sudden movements and jumps. However, this does not mean that they do not climb rocks well. But that's just how it seems. They themselves slowly, unhurriedly manage to climb the slopes, so high that the mountain goats never dreamed of.

Despite their impressive physique, they manage to put their hooves on the smallest stones and climb onto ledges from which it is almost impossible to get off. If they cannot get off, they jump from a height of 6-7 m, and if there is no flat ground below, then as soon as their hooves touch the ground or a small stone, they push off and jump further. Snow goats in a jump can turn up to 60 °. Their nature is very calm. This type of animal does not like to play violent games, and does not show its feelings. They are friendly to relatives, and an unusual kneeling posture helps goats get away from conflicts.

Snow goats feed on all kinds of grasses and sedges, ferns, twigs and needles of undersized shrubs, lichens, mosses, and in reserves they still willingly treat themselves to vegetables and fruits.

The season when they begin to produce offspring is in November-December. Behind the horns, in males, are odorous glands. Therefore, during the mating season, they rub their horns against rocks and branches, thereby leaving their "calling card". In addition, they sit down on their hind legs and drip holes in the ground with their front hooves. For the female they like, the males walk on the heels with their tongue hanging out and half-bent legs, thus showing humility. After that, they carry out a ritual blow to the side of the female, and if the female hits him in response, it means that she did not like the male. If two males meet, they stand opposite each other and puff up their hair. Thus, they try to look more impressive. And with all this, they still arch their backs like cats. If this scheme did not intimidate the male standing opposite, then they begin to spin in a symmetrical dance and beat each other with their horns in the side. Such fights are usually bloodless, but there are injuries that are not compatible with life. Snow goats are polygamous, it happens that males mate with two females, and they are also not very faithful friends.

Pregnancy lasts 6 months. Females always give birth in a standing position and usually give birth to one calf. Kids are born weighing about 3 kg, and after a while, after they were born, they run and jump. At the age of one month, they begin to use grass, but they are near their mother for a whole year. Snow goats live in nature up to 12-15 years, and in captivity up to 16-20.

These animals have plenty of enemies, but predators are extremely rare on their way, because they do not rise to such a height of the mountains. Snow goats have very well developed eyesight, and if they notice the enemy from afar, they immediately leave. But it happens when, when faced with an enemy, they fight off the enemy with their horns, thereby saving their lives. The most terrible predator for them is the cougar, which climbs the rocks, just like snow goats. Young kids are chased by bald eagles. There were cases when snow goats themselves attacked people and sheep living nearby only in order to protect or recapture their territory.

The places where snow goats live are very inaccessible for people. So big hunt they weren't led on. In the old days, the Indians walked and collected wool from the rocks, which were thrown off by animals during seasonal molt. The down of these animals was very popular and woolen fabrics were made from it. Now those territories where snow goats lived are occupied by people, as a result of which the species of these animals has become very rare and needs protection.

mountain goats
(Oreamnos americanus)

Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus), also called Rocky Mountain goat, a stocky North American ruminant of the family Bovidae (order Artiodactyla). Surefooted relatives of the chamois, mountain goats cling to steep cliffs in habitats ranging from ocean shores to glaciated mountain tops. They are agile, methodical climbers, adapted to the insecure footing of snow-covered and icy cliffs, where predators are loath to follow. On these cliffs, they readily turn on their pursuers, including humans.

Mountain goats belong to the goat antelope tribe, Rupicaprini, of the bovid family. Despite their unusual appearance and behaviour, they are close relatives of sheep and true goats. Mountain goats occur from the Yukon and Alaska to Utah, but most are found in British Columbia. They have been successfully restored to their former abundance in some areas and have also been introduced to some areas where they were never native, including Kodiak Island, the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and the Black Hills of South Dakota. They occurred in early postglacial times on Vancouver Island but became extinct; recent restoration efforts failed. Mountain goat populations fluctuate and are sensitive to human impacts. consequently, they are constantly being watched to ensure the timely application of corrective management.

Stocky climbers with muscular legs and broad hooves, mountain goats stand about 1 metre (39 inches) at the shoulder. Large males can weigh more than 120 kg (260 pounds), and females weigh about 60–90 kg (130–200 pounds). The hair is coarse, white, and shaggy over a thick, woolly underfur; a beard frames the slender muzzle. The sexes look alike and bear sharp, slightly backward-curving, black horns that are 5–25 cm (2–10 inches) long. Unlike true goats, mountain goats do not butt heads but instead stab each other with their horns. Since the horns can cause severe injury, mountain goats are highly reluctant to fight. Nevertheless, males grow a very thick skin as a body armor against attacks by rivals or females.

To compensate for their narrow preference for cliffs, mountain goats eat a great variety of plants: grasses, herbs, foliage, twigs, lichens, and, in particular, alpine firs and other conifers. They may excavate these plants at the timberline from beneath deep snow. In summer when lactating or growing new coats of hair, mountain goats may reluctantly leave the security of their cliffs to supplement their nutrient intake with visits to mineral licks. Among other minerals, inorganic sulfur is used by the goat's rumen flora to synthesize the rare amino acids cysteine ​​and methionine, which are essential to the goat's hair growth at that time.

Mountain goats are unusual in that males readily defer to females. Females live in small bands but may become territorial in severe winters, while adult males are solitary. Courting males crawl to females and make sounds like those of baby goats. They mate in late November and December. After the mating season, females may drive the males off their wintering ranges. A single kid (rarely two) is born in late spring after about 180 days of gestation and joins a nursery group within a week after birth. Adult female mountain goats are very protective mothers. In winter females with young may become territorial and lay claim to an area of ​​favorable cliff habitat. They then chase all other goats from their territories and readily attack hesitating males. Females are more likely to fight than males.

A breed that originated among mountain peaks. It belongs to the bovid species and is its only representative. Domesticated snow goats have much in common with wild mountain goats, but still belong to different types. Special studies no need to spend to distinguish between these two types, all excellence is clearly visible to the naked eye.

To unfavorable weather conditions Snow goats are accustomed to and quite easily endure them no worse than wild animals. Extremely low temperatures are not afraid of a goat, it is able to survive even 50-degree frosts, with a strong wind and noticed. Such good thermal insulation is provided by a strong and thick coat, which resembles a large fur coat, and in addition there is also a medium-sized beard.

Snow goats can easily climb even the steepest and most dangerous slopes; a special hoof shape gives excellent adhesion to the breed. Firstly, they are very strong, and secondly, the bifurcation of the hoof allows you to expand and narrow depending on the need. This shape of the hooves allows you to go through almost any terrain with a slope of no more than 60 degrees. Snow goats move very slowly, heavily shifting from one foot to the other, with such a slow, but confident step, goats can bypass any peaks. But if the goats are in danger, they immediately become active and can pick up quite a lot of speed in a short period of time.

Due to their large weight, Snow Goats jump very rarely, since it is very difficult for them to do so. When the herd descends, it becomes much easier to jump, therefore, in order to quickly descend from the mountain, the goats begin to jump from one ledge to another, the distance between which can become 7 meters. If there is no stable ledge nearby, then the goat immediately orients itself and jumps onto a more stable cobblestone, while it can twist almost 180 degrees in the air.

Snow goats are of a heavy type, the largest individuals reach 95-105 cm at the withers, and weigh more than 120 kg. Visually, the goats of this breed seem very huge, but you need to know that they have a large and lush coat, which throws a few extra tens of kilograms. Despite such large sizes, the horns of goats are small, this is the main difference between the domestic breed and rock goats. The horns of the domestic breed are not only smaller, but also have a slightly different shape - curved and smooth. The weight of Snow goats is slightly less than mountain relatives, this is also one of the obvious differences. The goat's muzzle resembles a square with round kuta, the neck is wide and muscular. The tail is very short, almost invisible. In winter, the coat is very thick, durable and covers almost the entire body, and in summer it becomes not so long and more rare, which looks like velvet. Most of the body is covered with long hair, only the limbs are covered with shorter hair. On the muzzle there is a bunch of long hair that looks like a beard.

The breed of snow goats is very beautiful, it is not for nothing that they were given such a name. All year round, the wool has a snow-white color and, as if sparkling, hooves and horns are black. The color of the horn has its own specifics: in the cold season they are painted black, and closer to summer they begin to lighten and gradually change their color to gray. This applies to both goats and goats.

The Snow Goat breed is not common, it can only be seen on the mountain slopes of North America. In search of food, animals can reach peaks up to 3000 m. Once upon a time, Snow goats inhabited all territories of North America, but over time they began to be pushed back from their acquired places, so they had to roam to more distant and quiet places.

Interesting Snow Goat Facts:

• Goats move only in mountainous areas; it is impossible to meet goats of this breed in the forest or in the middle of a field, but sometimes animals go to salt licks.
• Goats have a matriarchal structure of the herd, that is, the leader is not the male, but the female.

In general, there is no such thing as a herd in Snow goats, they gather in 2-4 individuals, which establish close ties with each other or lead a solitary life. This indicates that most males get used to one or two females and mate only with them.

Snow goats can be attributed to fearless animals; they are not afraid of either heights or the absence of stable ledges and cobblestones. Sometimes the ledges are so small that they are almost invisible, but the goats manage to move confidently along them. Goats go down much faster due to jumps, which can reach up to 7m in length. When goats jump from stone to stone, they seem very light and almost weightless, despite their impressive weight. The rest of the time, the goats practically do not play at all, do not run, and generally behave very quietly and calmly. They are completely non-conflict, and if there is a fight with another animal, then the goat does not use its horns, but dodges the attacker. To make such pirouettes allows the unusual design of the knees.

Snow goats feed on all vegetation that can be found in the mountains: shrubs, grasses, moss, tree branches, wild cereal plants. Goats that live in nature reserves are very fond of various vegetables and fruits.

At the start of the winter months, the breeding season begins. To draw the attention of the female, goats distribute a special liquid that has a specific smell and carries some information about the owner. The gland that emits this liquid is located behind the horns, so the goat rubs its horns against trees and rocks, leaving its smell on them, so that the more females know about the male. If the male has already found a female for himself, then he must carry out a series of actions: he sits on his hind limbs, and begins to dig a hole in the soil with his front limbs, then sticks out his tongue and walks after the female on limbs bent at the knees. All these actions are aimed at showing humility to the female, so that she chooses him as her partner. After all this, the male hits the female in the side, if she replies in the same way, it means that they approached each other. During this period, conflicts often arise between goats, the subject of which is a goat. At the same time, their hair stands on end, and their back bends like a cat's, which betrays a frightening look. If the fight does not end there, then it turns into a kind of dance, the meaning of which is that the horns of each other are crossed among themselves and in this position they can spin for quite a long time. Tragic cases are very rare, most fights are safe.

Snow goats are not very prolific, for one lambing they bring only one kid, weighing 3 kg. Newborn kids immediately begin to move quickly and actively suck milk in the mother. At the age of 1 month, kids can already graze on their own. open environment along with all the other goats. Average duration The life of Snow goats is 12-15 years, and at home they can live up to 20 years.

The snow goat has a large number of enemies, but they all pose a danger only below on the ground, and few get to those heights where goats graze. The real danger is the cougar, which can also be found on the tops of the mountains, but fortunately goats have good vision so they can escape in time. In extreme cases, Snow Goats can use their horns against an enemy.

In ancient times, people did not dare to attack such large and strong animals, but only collected wool from the mountain slopes, which was used to make warm clothes. In our time, people have practically ousted goats from their usual habitat, so their number has significantly decreased and the breed is on the verge of extinction. To preserve the Snow Goat breed, specialists create special reserves where animals can feel safe.