Mountain goat kid from the Chilcotin Mountains, BC, Canada. The baby was only a few days old at the time these photographs were taken. Unsecure and clumsy on the sheer rocky slopes, he was being carefully watched over and encouraged by his mother—the nanny.
Nanny and kid in their element on the rocky terrain. Credit: on of us
Credit: One of us
Credit: One of us
Approaching mountain goats closely is challenging. These ungulates are perfectly adapted to steep, rocky terrain and inhabit remote, high-up areas that are often inaccesible to humans. Moreover, they are generally shy creatures. To sight this young goat taking its first faltering steps, we had to reach the mountain top, a 2-hour climb on a hazardous slope where rockfalls regularly occurred (see images below).
Getting closer to the top. From this point, the climb became more difficult because rocks were increasingly larger and often slid down. Rocks were crumbly and fell down without notice. There were fewer trees and vegetation to hang on to. Credit: Lisa Munz
Looking down to where we started. Up to this point, the rocks are quite small making for an easy climb. Going back is a fun slide down but ruins your shoes! Credit: Lisa Munz
Location: Chilcotin Mountains, BC, Canada