Mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) are the least understood of all North America ungulates, their population dynamics are poorly documented 1.
In the 1980’s, population declines, poor productivity and survival (especially of kids and yearlings) lead to the termination of Alberta's provincial goat harvest in 19882.
In response to concerns over these declines and the lack of information on their basic biology in the province, the Wildlife Division initiated a long-term cooperative research project to study mountain goat population dynamics and individual reproductive success2. Following preliminary work in 1988, the intensive study of one un-hunted goat herd began in June 1989 at Caw Ridge in west-central Alberta 3.
To assess the status of an un-hunted mountain goat herd with emphasis on identifying the rates, timing and causes of kid mortality. Key program elements included:
The Caw Ridge Mountain Goat Research Project began fieldwork in May of 1989.
Wildlife Technical Services was contracted to coordinate, supervise and conduct the fieldwork portions of the project from startup to completion of Phase 1 in July 1994. The project is still ongoing and is currently in year 22.
1. Bailey, J.A. 1991. Reproductive success in female mountain goats. Can. J. Zool. 69: 2956-2961.
2. Smith, K.G., Urquhart, M.A. and Festa-Bianchet, M. 1992. Preliminary observations of timing and causes of mountain goat kid mortality in west-central Alberta. In Bienn. Symp. North. Wild Sheep and Goat Coun. 8: 293-304.
3. Festa-Bianchet, M., Urquhart, M.A. and Smith, K.G. 1994. Mountain Goat recruitment: kid production and survival to breeding age. Can. J. Zool, 72, 22-27.