Young, Baby Mountain Goats Appear on the Beartooth Plateau

Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains (Montana / Wyoming)

A group of young, baby mountain goats, also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, were actively playing and getting to know their new rocky surroundings. As their parents were shedding their thick, white, winter coats, the young ones were growing a brand new coat.

On occasion, Nannies protecting their young by leading them out of danger, as far from potential danger as possible. One of the nannies stood over a baby. Baby mountain goats are “kids” and males are “billies” and a female is a “nannie”.

The mountain goat Kids are born in the spring after a six-month gestation period. Nannies give birth, usually to a single offspring.

Apparently, the greatest natural threats to mountain goats are avalanches, falls from steep cliffs, predation and starvation in late winter.

Mountain goats are not true goats. They are in the family Bovidae that includes antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. They are more properly known as goat-antelopes.