How Do Mountain Goats Get Their Incredible Cliff-Climbing Skills

2015-11-02T21:11:43.000Z

Mountain goats are amazing. They can climb super high on really steep cliffs like it's nothing.

They hang out on mountaintops for most of the year, shedding their shaggy winter coat when they lower their elevation for the spring and summer.

How do mountain goats climb so well? What are their secrets?

Here are some facts about the nimble-footed mammal.

Mountain goats are only found in North America, concentrated around the Rocky Mountains. There are about 100,000 of them today.

Source: Defenders of Wildlife

But they're not actually goats. They're part of the antelope family.

They use the precipitous heights of their mountain homes for protection from predators.

Their biggest predators are bears, wolves, cougars, and golden eagles, which can snatch up kids. Humans are a problem, too, since hunting is legal in many states they call home.

Sources: Switch Zoo, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Males are called billies and females are called nannies.

Kids can start climbing with their parents when they're just days old.

Source: Defenders of Wildlife

Mountain goats typically live at elevations above 10,000 feet. They migrate to lower elevations during the spring and summer, but return to their mountaintops to survive the long winter.

Source: Woodland Park Zoo

Mountain goats can pull themselves up inclines with just one hoof.

Source: Woodland Park Zoo

They can scale slopes at angles above 60 degrees.

Source: Woodland Park Zoo

Look at it go!

Mountain goats owe their climbing abilities to their crazy feet. They're hard and bony on the outside, and soft on the inside.

They can wiggle their front toes together and apart so they can grip surfaces better. And the convex shape of their hooves act like slip-proof soles.

Source: Woodland Park Zoo

Mountain goats can also jump up to 12 feet.

Source: National Geographic

You can count the number of rings on their horns to tell how old they are, just like a tree.

Source: Defenders of Wildlife

They graze on grasses and other plants for food.

A goat's-eye view from a GoPro.

Source: Woodland Park Zoo

Goats love savory snacks, like this one that's licking the guardrail at Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park because sweaty human hands left salt on it.

In the wild, mountain goats can live up to 15 years. Long live the crazy, cool mountain goat!

Source: Woodland Park Zoo

Mountain goats have incredible cliff-climbing skills — here's how they do it

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Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Mountain goats have incredible cliff-climbing skills — here's how they do it

Mountain goats are only found in North America, concentrated around the Rocky Mountains. There are about 100,000 of them today.

But they're not actually goats. They're part of the antelope family.

They use the precipitous heights of their mountain homes for protection from predators.

Their biggest predators are bears, wolves, cougars, and golden eagles, which can snatch up kids. Humans are a problem, too, since hunting is legal in many states they call home.

Males are called billies and females are called nannies.

Kids can start climbing with their parents when they're just days old.

Mountain goats typically live at elevations above 10,000 feet. They migrate to lower elevations during the spring and summer, but return to their mountaintops to survive the long winter.

Mountain goats can pull themselves up inclines with just one hoof.

They can scale slopes at angles above 60 degrees.

Look at it go!

Mountain goats owe their climbing abilities to their crazy feet. They're hard and bony on the outside, and soft on the inside.

They can wiggle their front toes together and apart so they can grip surfaces better. And the convex shape of their hooves act like slip-proof soles.

Mountain goats can also jump up to 12 feet.

You can count the number of rings on their horns to tell how old they are, just like a tree.

They graze on grasses and other plants for food.

Goats love savory snacks, like this one that's licking the guardrail at Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park because sweaty human hands left salt on it.

In the wild, mountain goats can live up to 15 years. Long live the crazy, cool mountain goat!

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

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Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know