Oreamnos americanus

• Main Authors: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2011
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Artiodactyla; Bovidae; Oreamnos; Oreamnos americanus; Yukon; Northwest Territories; Canada; British Columbia; Black Hills; Kodiak; Alaska
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6636909; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6636909

168. Rocky Mountain Goat Oreamnos americanus French: Chévre des Rocheuses / German: Schneeziege / Spanish: Cabra blanca de las Rocosas Other common names: Mountain Goat, Snow Goat, White Goat Taxonomy. Antilope (Rupicapra) americana de Blainville, 1816, America (probably near Mt. Adams, Washington). Phylogenetic relationships of Oreamnos to other genera in the tribe Caprini are unclear. Monotypic. Distribution. W Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia & Alberta), W USA (SE Alaska, Washington, W Montana & Idaho); its native occurrence in Oregon has not been definitely established. Introduced into several other US states: Alaska (Kodiak, Chichagof, Baranof Is), Washington (Olympic Peninsula), Oregon, C & S Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota (Black Hills), Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. Descriptive notes. Head-body 155-180 cm (males) and 140-170 cm (females), tail 10-20 cm, shoulder height 90-110 cm; weight 95-115 kg (males) and 60-75 kg (females). Horn length 21-30 cm (males), horn basal girth 11-16 cm (males). Female horn lengths can equal those of males, but male horns have greater basal girth. Majority of horn growth is completed by the age of three. Males and females have a shaggy, uniformly white, long winter pelage and a prominent mid-dorsal mane. Adult males and females have beards. Males are 40-60% larger than females. Nonetheless, differentiating males from females in the wild is difficult. Females attain peak mass at age six, but males continue to gain mass with age. Maximum longevity in the wild is 15 years for males and 18 years for females, but few goats survive more than twelve years. Diploid chromosome numberis 42. Habitat. Usually occur in rugged, precipitous terrain under extreme climate conditions from near sea level in coastal areas to above 2700 m. Habitats consist of a mosaic of forage-rich alpine meadows, timbered areas, high-mountain ridges, scree, and barren cliffs that provide escape terrain, especially for females with young. During winter, they use areas within ...