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Mountain goat - OREAMNOS AMERICANUS
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Goat": "Goat" comes from the Old English word "gat."
Location: Western Canada and western United States.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Montane
Description: The mountain goat has a white woolly coat which turns yellowish in winter. The males start to shed their coat in June and continue shedding until mid-July, while the females do not complete their molt until mid-August. The slightly curved horns, present in both sexes, are black. It is possible to tell the age of the mountain goat by counting the rings on the horns. The first ring forms at the age of 22-24 months, and an additional ring is then added each spring. About 70 inches long and 40 inches high at the shoulder, this goat can weigh over 300 pounds.
Behavior: The mountain goat grazes in meadows above the timberline. In winter it descends to lower altitudes. It is active from dawn to mid-morning, and then starts grazing again in the late afternoon, and is frequently active throughout the night. It lives in small flocks, but tends to be solitary in summer and autumn. In the mating season (October through December) the males rub the glands that are behind their horns against trees, and they also use urine to mark their territory.
Reproduction: The gestation period lasts for 150 days, after which the female gives birth to one or two kids. They nurse for three or four months, and may remain with their mother until the following year, when the succeeding kids are born.
Go to the Artiodactyla Page to learn more about all the even-toed hoofed animals.
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