There’re a few situations out there as a predator, that may seem like a good idea, but really, they are not. Going after a mountain goat on the side of a rocky mountain face is one of those situations. They are made for the mountains, and bears are not… there’s no two ways about it.
Make no mistake, bears are some of the most able-bodied creatures on planet Earth, able to traverse all kinds of terrain, but when we’re talking about a cliff, the mountain goat is at home.
A grizzly has a massive size advantage, coming in at around 700-pounds with some being recorded over 1,000. While mountain goats on average come in around 200-pounds. Although that’s a large goat, it’s no match for a grizzly.
But, these goats stay on the mountain sides, and use the cliff face as their defense mechanism. They have thick coats of fur to protect them from the harsh elements at high altitudes along with lots of muscle. These goats can jump up to 12-feet at a time to get across dangerous faces on the mountainsides. Their white fur is that way to camouflage with the snow that typically is on the mountain tops.
Everything about them is made to avoid predators. So, seeing a grizzly sizing one up is definitely worth watching. This grizzly is seen creeping down the mountain side hoping to get ahold of a nanny and her kid. The pair stand and watch the bear approach.
This may seem foolish but they mother is confident in their position so she is willing to wait it out and see what happens, because in the end they can move better across the terrain they always live on. The bear gets close but can’t figure out how to get to them, and while bears are decent climbers themselves, it risks plummeting to its death trying to get down there. The goats realize this and stay put.
The patience and trust in their own abilities pays off as the grizz retreats for a different approach. He can’t find it and just looks at them in disappointment. They are right there but he just can’t get to them.
Nature’s chess match, and I think the mountain goats are gonna win this one.