Each animal occupies a special niche in the environment in which that species survives as best it can. Wild mountain goats have occupied the strangest and almost inaccessible niche for other animals - high and dangerous mountain cliffs. And these goats are not crazy at all, because these steep mountains provide them with many benefits, including protection from land predators, food and tasty minerals that they love to lick.
The harsh winds that blow across these cliffs sweep away the snow and expose the tough grass and mineral salts that are a true delicacy for these goats.
Many of the bucks featured here were photographed in the US Rocky Mountains.
This species is actually a mountain antelope, but some of the “climbers” in these photographs, such as ibexes and chamois, are representatives of the genus of true goats.
All of these animals have special adaptations that allow them to roam the steep slopes and cliffs of their mountain habitat.
Unlike horse hooves, these goats' hooves are cloven, which means the animals can better distribute their weight.
The hooves are soft in the center, while their edges are hard and hard, which allows animals to “grab” on any, even the tiniest cracks or uneven rocky surfaces.
Some of them even have hard, bumpy pads of skin between their hooves that help them grip rock surfaces even better.
