The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T42680A10727959
Oreamnos americanus, Mountain Goat
Assessment by: Festa-Bianchet, M.
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Festa-Bianchet, M. 2008. Oreamnos americanus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
2008: e.T42680A10727959. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
Copyright: © 2015 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written
permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged.
Reproduction of this publication for resale, reposting or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written
permission from the copyright holder. For further details see Terms of Use.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species Programme, the IUCN
Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN Red List Partners are: BirdLife
International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown in this document, please provide us with
feedback so that we can correct or extend the information provided.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Cetartiodactyla
Bovidae
Taxon Name: Oreamnos americanus (de Blainville, 1816)
Common Name(s):
• English:
Mountain Goat, Rocky Mountain Goat
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:
2008
Date Assessed:
June 30, 2008
Justification:
This species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, large population, and because it is
not declining at anything close to the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.
Previously Published Red List Assessments
1996 – Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc)
Geographic Range
Range Description:
This species is found in southeast Alaska (USA), south Yukon and southwest Northwest Territories
(Canada) to north-central Oregon, central Idaho, and Montana (USA). It has been introduced to Kodiak,
Chichagof, and Baranof Islands (Alaska), Olympic Peninsula (Washington), central Montana, Black Hills
(South Dakota), and to Colorado, Utah and northeastern Nevada (USA) (Grubb, 2005).
In Canada, mountain goats inhabit all major mountain ranges from the eastern slopes of the Rocky
Mountains in Alberta, west to the Coastal Range of British Columbia, and north into the St. Elias, Coast,
Cassiar, Logan and Selwyn Ranges of Yukon; and the Mackenzie Mountains of the Northwest Territories.
In Alaska, the mountain goat is generally continuously distributed along the mountains extending up the
west coast to Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula. Its also occurs in the southern Wrangell
and Talkeetna Mountains and the northern Chugach Mountains. Goat populations have been
established through transplants on Baranof and Kodiak Islands. In the contiguous states, it is found in a
relatively continuous distribution across several large mountain ranges in Washington, Idaho and
Montana. Mountain goats are also discontinuously distributed to the east and south of this area, where
many herds have been established by transplanting animals. In Alaska and Washington, separate herds
are not always distinguished.
Country Occurrence:
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
1
Native: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon); United States (Alaska,
Colorado - Introduced, Idaho, Nevada - Introduced, Oregon - Introduced, South Dakota - Introduced,
Utah - Introduced, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming - Introduced)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
2
Distribution Map
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
3
Population
The total population in Canada is approximately 58,000 individuals, but could range from 44,000 to
72,000, distributed as follows: Alberta 2,750; British Columbia 39,000-67,000; Northwest Territories
1,000; and Yukon 1,400. Recent total estimates in the United States are 36,000 to 47,000 individuals,
with more than 12,000 animals in the contiguous states, and 24,000 to over than 33,000 in Alaska.
Current Population Trend: Stable
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
Most mountain goats occur in high altitude habitats, up to the limit of vegetation. Although they
sometimes descend to sea level in coastal areas, they are primarily an alpine and sub-alpine species.
Throughout the year, the animals usually stay above the timberline, but they will migrate seasonally to
higher or lower elevations within that range. Summertime migrations to low-elevation mineral licks
often take them several or more kilometers through forested areas. This species is most active during
the early morning and late evening, and grazing sometimes continues throughout the night. Their diet
includes grasses, herbs, sedges, ferns, moss, lichen, twigs, and leaves from the low-growing shrubs and
conifers of their high-altitude habitat. Their main predators are cougars, wolves and brown bears. The
species lives in groups that can vary from a few to a hundred, and during the winter months, groups
generally coalesce to form large herds. The gestation length is approximately 180 days, with a single
birth typically, although twins are common in introduced populations. The age of primiparity varies from
2 to 5 years among populations. Male mortality is much higher than female mortality and very few
males live longer than 10 years. Very few females survive more than 16 years (Festa-Bianchet and Côté,
2008).
Systems: Terrestrial
Use and Trade (see Appendix for additional information)
Hunting is well managed in both range states, and this has stabilized past declines.
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
These animals are largely protected from threats due to the inaccessible nature of their habitat. The
species is hunted, but there are regulations in both of its range states that have stabilized past declines.
Mountain goats are more sensitive to human disturbance than most other ungulates, and are
particularly sensitive to harassment from aircraft. Increasing aircraft use for industrial and recreational
purposes on mountain goat habitat is a major concern for their conservation.
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
In Canada, mountain goat habitat, along with more than 3,500 goats, are protected in eight National
Parks (Banff, Glacier, Jasper, Kootenay, Nahanni, Revelstoke, Waterton and Yoho), Kluane National Park
Reserve, and in Kluane Wildlife Sanctuary. Numerous provincial parks and wildlife reserves throughout
western and northern Canada provide additional varying levels of protection. Limited hunting by
aboriginal people is permitted in some northern national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, and licensed
hunting is permitted in many provincial parks. Outside protected areas, goats are legally hunted under
strict controls issued by provincial or territorial government agencies. Harvests are set annually for each
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
4
population. In British Columbia for example, harvest rates vary between populations and range from 0.4
to 9% (Hebert and Smith, 1986), with an average of 1,100 to 1,200 goats shot by resident and nonresidents each year in the Province. In Yukon, by contrast, harvests are much lower, varying between
three and 15 animals per year, with the aboriginal harvest estimated to be zero. Transplants have been
used to re-introduce mountain goats into many areas of its former range. Habitat management
continues to play a key role in its conservation, and developments are subject to environmental
screening processes on public land. Conservation measures proposed for Canada: 1) Determine the
species’ requirements for mature forests on steep slopes in coastal mountain ranges that are used as
winter habitat in British Columbia (Hebert and Turnbull, 1977; Fox et al., 1989). Several coastal
populations will be affected by current and future timber harvest operations. Ideally, much or most of
this habitat should be preserved. 2) Obtain more accurate population inventories in all regions of
Canada to allow more detailed management plans to be developed.
In the United States, primary conservation measures have included habitat protection, introductions
and re-introductions, and harvest regulation. Eight state wildlife management departments have
transplanted mountain goats from native ranges in Canada and the United States. Six of these states did
not have indigenous populations. Many transplanted populations were established with only 10 to 15
founder animals. Goats are harvested in nine states under conservative regulations of the wildlife
departments which monitor populations. The mountain goat occurs in nine federal protected areas:
Alaska: Glacier Bay, Kenai Fjords, and Wrangell - St. Elias National Parks; and Kenai National Wildlife
Refuge; Montana: Bison Range National Wildlife Refuge; Glacier National Park; South Dakota: Mount
Rushmore National Monument; Washington: North Cascades, and Mount Rainier National Parks.
However, most herds are in national forests including many wilderness areas). The International Order
of Rocky Mountain Goats, a private organization, raises funds for research and management of the
species. One state, Colorado, uses two hunting licenses in an auction and a raffle to raise funds for these
activities.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Festa-Bianchet, M.
Reviewer(s):
Festa-Bianchet, M. (Caprinae Red List Authority) & Stuart, S.N. (Global Mammal
Assessment Team)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
5
Bibliography
Demarchi, M. W., Johnson, S. R. and Searing, G. F. 2000. Distribution and abundance of Mountain Goats,
Oreamnos americanus, in westcentral British Columbia. Canadian Field Naturalist 114: 301-306.
Festa-Bianchet, M. and Côté S. D. 2008. Mountain Goats: Ecology, Behavior and Conservation of an
Alpine Ungulate. Island Press, Washington, DC, USA.
Fox, J. L., Smith, C. A. and Schoen, J. W. 1989. Relation between mountain goats and their habitat in
southeastern Alaska. General Technical Report PNW-GTR- 246. U.S. Department of Agriculture and
Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Geist, V. 1990. Rocky Mountain goats (Genus Oreamnos). In: S. P. Parker (ed.), Grzimek's Encyclopedia of
Mammals, pp. 497-505. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Goldstein, M. I., Poe, A. J., Cooper, E., Youkey, D., Brown, B. A. and McDonald, T. L. 2005. Mountain goat
response to helicopter overflights in Alaska. Wildlife Society Bulletin 33: 688-699.
Grubb, P. 2005. Artiodactyla. In: D.E. Wilson and D.M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World. A
Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), pp. 637-722. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore,
USA.
Hebert, D. and Turnbull, W. G. 1977. A description of southern interior and coastal mountain goat
ecotypes in British Colombia. In: W. Samuel and W. G. MacGregor (eds), Proceedings of the First
International Mountain Goat Symposium, pp. 126-146. Kalispell, Montana, USA.
Hebert, D. H. and Smith, T. 1986. Mountain goat management in British Columbia. Proceedings of the
Biennial Symposium of the Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council: 548-559.
Huffman, B. 2004. Oreamnos americanus. Available at:
http://www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Oreamnos_americanus.html.
Lemke, T. O. 2004. Origin, expansion, and status of mountain goats in Yellowstone National Park. Wildlife
Society Bulletin 32: 532-541.
Poole, K. G. and Heard, D. C. 2003. Seasonal habitat use and movements of Mountain Goats, Oreamnos
americanus, in east-central British Columbia. Canadian Field Naturalist 117: 565-576.
Voyer, A. G., Smith, K. G. and Festa-Bianchet, M. 2003. Dynamics of hunted and unhunted mountain
goat Oreamnos americanus populations. Wildlife Biology 9: 213-218.
Williams, L. 2003. Patterns of harvest and use of mountain goats on Kodiak Island, GMU 8. Alaska
Department of Fish and Game Division of Subsistence Technical Report.
Wilson, S. F. 2005. Desired conditions for coastal mountain goat winter range. Wildlife Working Report
WR-107: 1-6.
Citation
Festa-Bianchet, M. 2008. Oreamnos americanus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008:
e.T42680A10727959. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
6
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
7
Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
1. Forest -> 1.4. Forest - Temperate
-
Suitable
No
3. Shrubland -> 3.4. Shrubland - Temperate
-
Suitable
Yes
4. Grassland -> 4.4. Grassland - Temperate
-
Suitable
Yes
0. Root -> 6. Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)
-
Suitable
Yes
Use and Trade
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
End Use
Local
National
International
Sport hunting/specimen collecting
Yes
Yes
No
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
5. Biological resource use -> 5.1. Hunting & trapping
terrestrial animals -> 5.1.1. Intentional use (species is
the target)
Past,
unlikely to
return
-
-
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.2. Species disturbance
6. Human intrusions & disturbance -> 6.1.
Recreational activities
-
-
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Species Management
Harvest management plan: Yes
Conservation Actions Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
8
Conservation Actions Needed
1. Land/water protection -> 1.1. Site/area protection
2. Land/water management -> 2.1. Site/area management
Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Research Needed
1. Research -> 1.2. Population size, distribution & trends
1. Research -> 1.3. Life history & ecology
3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends
Additional Data Fields
Population
Number of mature individuals: 80000-119000
Population severely fragmented: No
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Oreamnos americanus – published in 2008.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42680A10727959.en
9
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™