Sep 6, 2013

Mountain Goats are Not

Mountain goats, found only in North America, are an even-toed ungulate of the family Bovidae that includes antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. It is the only species in the genus Oreamnos. The name Oreamnos is derived from the Greek term oros, "mountain," or, oreas "mountain nymph". They are sometimes referred to as goat-antelopes.

They have woolly coats, cloven feet, and horns, but not the same kind as true goats. The fur is thicker and shaggier than that of a domesticated farm goat. Their hooves are specially built for climbing and descending mountain slopes A rubbery padding covers the bottom of their hooves and their horns are long and pointy.

They spend most of their time grazing and their diet includes grasses, herbs, sedges, ferns, mosses, lichens, and twigs and leaves from the low-growing shrubs in their high-altitude habitat.

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