Watched by Wild Animals — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Watched by Wild Animals
John Stuart Mill · en
Commonly the Rocky Mountain goat lives in small flocks of a dozen or
less, and his home territory does not appear to be a large one. Local
goats of scattered territories make a short, semi-annual migratory
journey and have different summer and winter ranges, but this appears
to be exceptional. They feed upon the alpine plants, dwarfed willows,
and shrubby growths of mountain slopes and summits. They may also eat
grass freely.
Bighorn sheep also live above the timberline. In some localities they
and the goat are found together. But sheep make occasional lowland
excursions, while goats stay close to the skyline crags and the
eternal snows, descending less frequently below the timberline except
in crossing to an adjoining ridge or peak. Among the other
mountain-top neighbours of the goat are ground squirrels, conies,
weasels, foxes, grizzly bears, lions, ptarmigan, finches, and eagles;
but not all of these would be found together, except in a few
localities.
The goat, in common with all the big, wide-awake animals that I know
of, has a large bump of curiosity. Things that are unusual absorb his
attention until he can make their acquaintance. A number of times
after goats had retreated from my approach, and a few times before
they had thought to move on, I discovered them watching me, peeping
round the corner of a crag or over a boulder. While thus intent they
did not appear to be animals with a place in natural history.
In crossing a stretch of icy slope on what is now called Fusillade
Mountain, in Glacier National Park, I sat down on the smooth steep
ice to control my descent and bring more bearing surface as a brake on
the ice. I hitched along. Pausing on a projecting rock to look round,
I discovered two goats watching me. They were within a stone’s toss.
Both were old and had long faces and longer whiskers, and both were
sitting dog fashion. They made a droll, curious appearance as they
watched me and my every move with absolute concentration.
I do not know how long the average goat lives. The few hunters who
have been much in the goat’s territory offer only guesses concerning
his age. One told me that he had shot a patriarchal billy that had
outlived all of his teeth and also his digestion. The old fellow had
badly blunted hoofs and was but little more than a shaggy,
skin-covered skeleton.
Although his home is a healthful one, the conditions are so exacting
and the winter storms sometimes so long, severe, and devitalizing,
that it is probable that the goat lives hardly longer than twelve or
fifteen years.
The goat is, I think, comparatively free from death by accidents or
disease. Until recently, when man became a menace, he had but few, and
no serious, enemies. Being alert and capable among the crags, and in
defense of himself exceedingly skillful with his deadly sharp horns,
he is rarely attacked by the lion, wolf, or bear. True, the kids are
sometimes captured by eagles.