Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications
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| New kid on the block! Mountain goat Atlin cuddles up to her newborn daughter, born July 16. Photo: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo |
A new mountain goat kid is leaping on the ledges of Woodland Park Zoo’s Northern Trail habitat. The kid, a girl, was born July 16 and is the second offspring for mom Atlin and dad Zeus. The mountain goat born at the zoo last year—part of the 2020 baby boom—was their first baby, Luna.
The new kid—which hasn't been named yet—weighed in at 9.4 pounds during a neonatal exam performed by the zoo’s animal health staff. “She appears to be healthy. Her body condition is good and she’s getting sufficient nutrition and hydration. Her mobility indicates a healthy energy level,” said Dr. Darin Collins, director of animal health at Woodland Park Zoo.
The new kid—which hasn't been named yet—weighed in at 9.4 pounds during a neonatal exam performed by the zoo’s animal health staff. “She appears to be healthy. Her body condition is good and she’s getting sufficient nutrition and hydration. Her mobility indicates a healthy energy level,” said Dr. Darin Collins, director of animal health at Woodland Park Zoo.
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| The female kid weighed in at 9.4 pounds at birth. Photo: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo |
“Within minutes of being born, young goats are on their feet and are capable of climbing on steep terrain within days,” said Kevin Murphy, an animal curator at Woodland Park Zoo. “The goats’ home of craggy, sculpted cliffs at Woodland Park Zoo offers our visitors a window into the natural habitat of these nimble animals.”
The father, Zeus, was born in the wild, making him a founder animal. “As a founder animal, his genes are very valuable. His offspring will help infuse genetic diversity into the North American zoo population,” said Murphy. Visitors to the zoo can enjoy the mountain goats, including another female, Hera, in the Northern Trail, soon to be reimagined as the Living Northwest Trail.
Zeus and Hera both arrived at Woodland Park Zoo in 2018 and 2019, respectively, as young kids under a project to relocate non-native mountain goats from Olympic National Park to the North Cascades. Woodland Park Zoo partnered with Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Oregon Zoo to provide permanent homes to goat kids without known mothers.
The father, Zeus, was born in the wild, making him a founder animal. “As a founder animal, his genes are very valuable. His offspring will help infuse genetic diversity into the North American zoo population,” said Murphy. Visitors to the zoo can enjoy the mountain goats, including another female, Hera, in the Northern Trail, soon to be reimagined as the Living Northwest Trail.
Zeus and Hera both arrived at Woodland Park Zoo in 2018 and 2019, respectively, as young kids under a project to relocate non-native mountain goats from Olympic National Park to the North Cascades. Woodland Park Zoo partnered with Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Oregon Zoo to provide permanent homes to goat kids without known mothers.
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| The newborn female kid was up on her feet within minutes of being born. Photo: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo |
About Mountain Goats
- Mountain goats are not true goats—they are more closely related to antelope!
- Rocky Mountain goats naturally range from southern Alaska, Canada, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Transplanted populations now live in Colorado, Oregon, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, South Dakota and Washington's Olympic Peninsula.
- These nimble residents of high mountain peaks can leap 12 feet in a single bound! They are remarkably adapted for life on steep, cold mountain ledges. Mountain goats live, sleep, and eat at elevations of 10,000 feet and up.
- Mountain goats are especially adept at hanging out in extremely harsh conditions such as snowy slopes with pitches above 60 degrees, winds up to 100 mph, snow drifts of 30–60 feet high and chilly temperatures down to -50˚F.
- The incredible adaptations of mountain goats allow them to live high above potential predators such as mountain lions, bears or wolverines. The only predator that lives above the timberline is the golden eagle which might attack a newborn or very young goat.
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