Mountain goats - amazingly beautiful animals that live in the mountainous terrain.8 known species of goats, all of them living in the mountains of Eurasia and North Africa.Depending on the type and weight of the animal may be from 35 to 200 kg, height at withers 65 - 115 cm body length 1 - 1.7 m. The males differ from females larger physique, beard of long hair, and a long, intricatelytwisted horns.In some species, they are straight, other curved inward and downward ends, crescent or a flat spiral.In females horns are much shorter, only 20 - 40 cm.
All mountain goats are very strong and agile beasts.They live in the mountains at an altitude of 2500 - 5000 meters above sea level.Due to the great weight and stocky build, they do not run very fast, so in order to escape from persecution, scrambling on the rocks.They are quite easy and relaxed feel, even on a steep rock, at a dizzy height.Climbing the steep slopes, they are not afraid of landslides that could trigger even one wrong move.Hearing that the stones under your feet start to move, the box only slightly slow down the run and go on their way.
This their ability to walk on the almost vertical slopes, icy rock ledges allows you to escape from persecution, even leopard.Yes, and a professional climber unlikely to so skillfully climb to the top, like mountain goats.Photos of these amazing animals on which they stand, it would seem, on a cliff, it is striking.How they could ever be there?
inhabit mountain goats are very high in the mountains, in the summer they prefer to graze on the Alpine meadows and in the winter, some animals down to the woods, and some remain in the highlands.They prefer to avoid humans, so are forced to leave on rock formations or deaf forest tract to the places where grazing livestock.
Caucasus Mountain goat is active in the morning and evening, in winter goes in search of food during the day.They eat animals mostly grass, fruits and foliage from shrubs and trees in winter eat twigs and dry grass.They prefer to stay in small herds of about 15 animals, and can live alone.In winter and autumn are found on the southern slopes, where not a lot of snow and you can find grass in the hot are moving closer to the snowfields and glaciers.
Mountain goats can boast excellent vision, they see in a radius of one kilometer, people can feel the hundreds of meters, so not so easy to find this wild beast.If they do not disturb the goats prefer to lead a sedentary lifestyle, to graze on the lawn, lie in the sun.In bad weather the animals sought refuge in the caves, but always with a good review in time to notice the danger.
Gon begins in late autumn, then go to the terrible battle between males for females.The kid born in the late spring, a week later the kids are free to follow his mother, fearlessly climbing the rocks.Goats remain with their mothers about 1 year.In ancient times, mountain goats were the main wild game for the Mountaineers.Today, their number is not as high as we would like.Many of these proud beasts are killed by avalanches that go in the spring and winter.Particularly affected are males, because they climb always higher than females.
