Doug Velting
If any animal is suited to thrive in the rugged, cold, wind-swept Rocky Mountains of North America, it is the Rocky Mountain goat of the mountains of Alaska, Canada, and parts of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
This hoofed mammal inhabits the highest, most barren, rocky parts of this mountain range. While most animals that share this mountain habitat stay below the tree line, the Rocky Mountain goat spends much of the year there. Winds can reach 90 mph, and temperatures plunge to -40°F.
How has God designed this mammal to live in such harsh conditions?
First, let’s look at its luxurious white fur coat. Long, hollow, guard hairs offer great first-layer protection against the wind and cold. Under this, it wears a soft, thick underwool that is among the warmest of all mammals. Next would be its hoofs. The hoofs are split and have a soft inner pad that prevents slipping and a hard, curved outer edge to grip any uneven rock surface.
The Rocky Mountain goat is one of the best rock climbers in the animal kingdom. Its hind legs give it a springing leap of up to 12 feet, supported by muscular front shoulders.
There was a time when one of these goats was seen walking on a narrow trail along a cliff face. On one side of the trail was a wall 100 feet high, and on the other side, a 300-foot drop. The goat walked along until the trail came to an abrupt end. The trail was too narrow to turn around, so the goat skillfully used its back legs to “walk” up the cliff face while the front legs stayed put for support. This goat was able to walk its back legs all the way around, so it was heading how it came.
The Rocky Mountain goat can live at 13,000 feet above sea level in part because of its highly efficient respiratory system. They have larger lungs than most mammals their size. They also have an increased proportion of red cells in its blood to carry oxygen throughout the body, allowing this mammal to remain oxygenated even in the thinner atmosphere of higher elevations.
Where winters are the harshest, they venture to lower elevations to feed. But this makes them susceptible to being prey for mountain lions and wolves.
This “goat” is not a true goat of the genus Capra, where we find true goats, such as the domesticated goat. The Rocky Mountain goat is a goat antelope and is more closely related to the European Chamois.
Both males and females have black horns, which are 6-10 inches long, and both have “goat beards.” The males stand about 3½ feet at the shoulders with a length of 50 to 70 inches, with the females slightly smaller. Males can weigh 250 lbs. while females weigh an average of 190 lbs.
God knew exactly what He was doing in designing an animal that could live in the rugged, cold, and windswept mountains of North America.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. There is no searching of His understanding. Isaiah 40:28
