Mountain goats: The fridge magnets of the animal kingdom.
When I think of goats, I picture petting zoos and that one time a goat ate a picture I drew at camp. But that’s nothing like these next-level goats that straight-up chill on the edges of cliffs.
Behold, my new obsession:
Imgur
Yes, these are mountain goats and yes, they are wonderful. But while these pictures are entertaining, they’re also seriously confusing. How do they casually climb up mountain-sides like it’s nothing?
These four-hooved pals have strong shoulders and flexible toes that make scaling steep ledges effortless. In fact, their front legs are so powerful that they can jump up to 12 feet. They can also propel themselves up slopes using just one hoof. Basically, they’re the Michael Jordans of the animal kingdom.
But that’s not even the most mind blowing part: mountain goats aren’t even goats. These mountain-scaling masters are actually part of the antelope family. Like antelopes, mountain goats are herbivores, grazing mostly on grass. They also love snacking on salty stuff (same), like handrails covered in human sweat (not same).
North American mountain goats typically cruise at an altitude of 10,000 feet. In the winter, they migrate to the mountaintops, where temperatures can reach as low as -50º Fahrenheit and winds can blow as swift as 100 miles per hour. But even at such high elevations, their stylish white wooly coats help keep them safe and warm.
Casual. | Getty Images
Though they mostly utilize their agility for winter migration, mountain goats also scale cliffs to seek protection from other animals; it’s their awesome way of steering clear of scary predators like bears, cougars and wolves.
With their buffness and agility, these guys are baaadasses (sorry, but you knew it was coming).
