mountain goat. Apprehension about 
the potential effect of mountain goats 
on endemic plants and other organisms 
in the ecological community stems 
from the knowledge that alpine en- 
vironments are among the most fragile 
of ecosystems, characterized by short 
growing seasons, low plant productiv- 
ity, shallow soils, and harsh environ- 
mental conditions. These conditions, 
A mountain goat cools off by 
flinging soil over its body. 
The soil also provides some 
protection from insects. Erosion 
results wherever the goats 
create wallows for dust bathing. 
which include high winds, low soil 
moisture, and frequent freezing and 
thawing, combine with slow rates of 
plant growth to make alpine ecosys- 
tems such as those found in the Olym- 
pics particularly sensitive to distur- 
bance. The common belief is that the 
most significant impact of herbivores 
on plant communities results from 
their feeding on vegetation, but in an 
alpine environment, trampling and 
digging may be far more deleterious. 
Since 1976 we have been studying 
the ecology and behavior of mountain 
goats in Olympic National Park with 
a twofold purpose: Besides seeking to 
increase our knowledge of the biology 
of this species, we hope to aid the 
National Park Service in developing 
a plan for managing the animals. 
We conduct intensive field research 
from May through September, since 
inclement weather and the threat of 
avalanches make winter observations 
difficult. Much of our work has been 
done in a five-square-mile area in the 
northeastern portion of the park. Ly- 
ing at an elevation of about 6,000 
feet, this rugged terrain is the most 
densely populated on the peninsula, 
inhabited by as many as 165 mountain 
goats. Thus far, more than 1 00 of these 
have been marked with numbered ear 
tags for individual identification, and 
by following and observing known in- 
dividuals, we have documented many 
aspects of mountain goat ecology and 
behavior in greater detail than was 
previously possible. 
Superbly adapted for life in the 
mountains, the goats exhibit a distinct 
preference for rocky habitats, a trait 
Keith Gunner, Bruce Coleman. Inc 
62 
