scholarly journals Patterns of decadal, seasonal and daily visitation to mineral licks, a critical resource hotspot for mountain goats Oreamnos americanus in the Rocky Mountains

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura P. Kroesen ◽  
David S. Hik ◽  
Seth G. Cherry
Keyword(s):  
Rocky Mountains ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Mountain Goats ◽  
Mineral Licks ◽  
Critical Resource

scholarly journals Seasonal Habitat Use and Movements of Mountain Goats, Oreamnos americanus, in East-central British Columbia

2003 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim G. Poole ◽  
Douglas C. Heard
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
East Central ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Mountain Goats ◽  
Mineral Licks ◽  
Forest Use

To identify the potential for adverse effects of forest development on Mountain Goats (Oreamnos americanus), we documented the patterns of forest use by goats and the factors influencing goat habitat use. We used a combination of 15 very high frequency (VHF) and six global positioning system (GPS) radiocollars to document the distribution and movements of 21 (15 female, 6 male) goats from 1997 to 1999 in the mountains surrounding the Robson Valley in east-central British Columbia. Because canopy closure reduces the likelihood that a GPS receiver will obtain a location fix, we estimated that GPS collars underrepresented forest use by about 23%. Three goats used separate winter and summer ranges separated by 8–13 km, while most simply exhibited seasonal shifts in elevation. In winter, goats were more often at lower elevations, in commercial forest stands, on southerly aspects, and moved less each hour and over the course of the winter. Goat use declined in areas >500 m from escape terrain and goats were found lower in elevation from evening to dawn compared to daylight hours. Collared goats used high elevation licks, which were either within their home range, or in two cases, 6 and 14 km from their typical home range. We documented use of known mid-elevation mineral licks by three collared goats, but no use of known low elevation (valley bottom and lower slopes) mineral licks. Robson Valley goats appeared to be at relatively low risk from disturbances related to logging, because although forest use was documented during winter, it occurred primarily on high elevation, steep slopes where trees are currently of low commercial value, and goats made little use of low elevation mineral licks. We recommend that in this area a forested buffer of 500 m around cliffs be left to reduce the possibility of adverse effects on goats especially, on southerly aspects above 1300 m.

Agonistic behavior among mountain goats foraging in winter

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (11) ◽  
pp. 2585-2588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Masteller ◽  
James A. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Agonistic Behavior ◽  
Dominance Order ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Average Group ◽  
Mountain Goats ◽  
Mineral Licks ◽  
Average Group Size

During two winters we studied agonistic behavior of foraging mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) in both natural and manipulated conditions. By maintaining food pellets at bait site we tested two hypotheses: (i) dominant goats will have primary access to the food, and (ii) kids of dominant nannies will have access to the food with their mothers. At the bait site, average group size was larger and goats in each sex–age class were more aggressive compared with those away from the site. The dominance order among sex–age classes at the bait was similar to that reported at mineral licks, except that 2-year-old males dominated adult females. When goats fed at the bait site, adult females with kids were very aggressive and nanny–kid distances decreased. At the bait, an orphan kid received much aggression, while kids with their mothers received few threats. At the bait site, dominant goats had primary, but not exclusive, access to the bait and kids fed with their mothers, which supported our hypotheses.

scholarly journals Mineral Lick Visitation by Mountain Goats, Oreamnos americanus

2010 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford G. Rice
Keyword(s):  
Short Duration ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Mountain Goats ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
Mineral Licks ◽  
Mountain Goat ◽  
Administrative Units ◽  
Mineral Lick

Many species, including Mountain Goats (Oreamnos americanus), are known to visit mineral licks, but the extent and duration of use are poorly understood because most studies consist of observations at licks. I studied the movements to, from, and near mineral licks of 11 mountain goats in Washington wearing Global Positioning System (GPS) collars for a total of 169 goat-months of tracking and evaluated chemical composition of six mineral licks compared with reference soil samples. I recorded 101 mineral lick visits to 13 mineral licks. Each GPS fix was classified as moving toward a mineral lick, in the vicinity of a lick, on an excursion from a lick, moving away from a lick, or not associated with lick use. Depending on annual movement patterns associated with lick use, each Mountain Goat was classified as a Migrant (single lick visit of long duration, n = 3 Mountain Goats), Sojourner (few visits of short duration, n = 2), Commuter (many visits of short duration, n = 5), or Resident (lick within normal range of movements, n = 1). Most mineral lick visits took place 01 June-15 August with peak visitation about 14 June-29 July. Migrants typically stayed in the vicinity of licks about a month (but as long as 51 days) whereas other mountain goats visited licks for 0.1-8 days (median = 1 day). Migrants also tended to take longer and move farther than other Mountain Goats when on movements to and from licks. Most Mountain Goats moved toward mineral licks faster (km/hr) than they moved away from licks. All licks had higher concentrations of sodium than reference samples (1.5-27 times as high), although concentrations of calcium, potassium, and sulphate tended to be higher as well, whereas magnesium was not. Mineral lick visitation has costs (energetics of travel, reduced forage, and predation risk). Depending on the importance of these costs, mountain goats evidently use various strategies for exploiting mineral licks as exemplified by the movement types (migrant, sojourner, commuter, or resident). Notably, most of the Mountain Goats in this study crossed national forest, county and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife region boundaries to another to visit mineral licks. Thus, coordination among administrative units is needed in management of Mountain Goats and mineral licks they use.

Wintering strategies by mountain goats in interior mountains

2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim G. Poole ◽  
Kari Stuart-Smith ◽  
Irene E. Teske
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Habitat Model ◽  
Winter Habitat ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Juvenile Mortality ◽  
Winter Range ◽  
Mountain Goats ◽  
Selection For

As with many ungulates inhabiting areas with potentially deep snow, winter is an important season for mountain goats ( Oreamnos americanus (de Blainville, 1816)) and is characterized by restricted movements and high juvenile mortality. We examined winter habitat selection and wintering strategies by mountain goats in two adjacent areas of southeastern British Columbia characterized by deep, moist snow and by shallow, dry snow. Fifteen GPS collars were placed on mountain goats in each area over two winters. Winter-range size did not differ between areas and comprised, on average, 2.2%–7.4% of male home range and 8.0%–14.1% of female home range. Topographic variables dominated habitat model selection. At the broad scale, mountain goats in both areas selected winter ranges closer to escape terrain on warmer aspects that contained lesser amounts of mature dense forest. At the fine scale, mountain goats in both areas selected rugged habitat at upper mid-elevations and on warmer aspects. Alpine areas were avoided in the deep snow area and selected in the shallow snow area. No selection for mature forests was observed in either area. Mountain goats, therefore, appeared to utilize open, high-elevation habitats in shallow snow zones, but they did not seek reduced snow levels in mature forest stands in deep snow areas.

Costs and benefits of post-weaning associations in mountain goats

Behaviour ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 155 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Charest Castro ◽  
Mathieu Leblond ◽  
Steeve D. Côté
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
The Body ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Maternal Characteristics ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Lactating Mothers ◽  
Mountain Goats

Abstract To better understand the potential costs and benefits of prolonged parental care in gregarious species, we studied post-weaning associations in a marked population of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) monitored for 22 years. We calculated the occurrence and frequency of associations involving 1- and 2-year-old juveniles. We investigated (1) the influence of maternal characteristics and population size on the formation of post-weaning associations, (2) the short-term costs of associations on maternal reproductive success, and (3) the short-term benefits of associations on life-history traits of juveniles. We found that barren mothers associated more frequently with 1-year-olds than summer yeld and lactating mothers. Associations with 2-year-olds tended to increase the probability that a mother would be barren the following year. Post-weaning associations did not influence the body mass of newborn kids nor the body mass and survival of juveniles. We discuss how benefits for associated juveniles may appear later in life.

Relationships between group size, feeding time, and agonistic behavior of mountain goats

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 2501-2506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth L. Risenhoover ◽  
James A. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Agonistic Behavior ◽  
Alpine Tundra ◽  
Feeding Time ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Movement Rates ◽  
Average Group ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
Mountain Goats ◽  
Average Group Size

Relationships between group size, intragroup spacing, movement rates, foraging behavior, and frequency of agonistic behavior of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) using alpine tundra were examined during summer. Feeding time of goats increased with group size to about 12 goats because of a reduction in time devoted to alert behavior. Rates of movement by foraging goats increased with group size, whereas rates of agonistic behavior between goats declined with increased group size. Intragroup spacing declined as group size increased. Nannies and 2-year-old goats were more aggressive than were other sex- or age-classes. Two-year-old goats, yearlings, and billies received more threatening displays than did other classes. In Colorado, nannies with kids form large nursery bands on alpine tundra. This behavior can reduce the risk of predation to individuals while allowing nannies with kids to exploit forage away from precipitous terrain. Average group size may be a useful index to forage abundance and continuity on summer goat range.

Resource limitation in mountain goats: a test by experimental cropping

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 228-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. B. Houston ◽  
V. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Density Dependence ◽  
National Park ◽  
Resource Limitation ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Olympic National Park ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Goat Population ◽  
Mountain Goats ◽  
Mountain Goat

Changes are reported in the population dynamics and physical condition of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) following a reduction in their density at Olympic National Park, Washington, U.S.A. The goat population showed density-dependent responses in initial breeding ages and in litter size. Production and recruitment of kids were more variable at high densities, and these population attributes may show nonlinear density dependence. These shifts in dynamics were associated with increases in live weights and, possibly, in fat reserves. The density dependence shown was insufficient to compensate for removals that approximated the initial production of young, and goat numbers declined precipitously. The implications of these relationships to mountain goat ecology are examined.

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