Mountain Goat - Aggressive Behavior

Aggressive Behavior

Nannies can be very competitive and protective of their space and food sources. They will fight with one another for dominance in conflicts that can ultimately include all the nannies in the herd. In these battles, nannies will circle each other with their heads lowered, showing off their horns. As with fights between billies during breeding season, these conflicts can occasionally lead to injury or even death, but they are largely harmless. To avoid fighting, an animal may show a posture of non-aggression by stretching low to the ground.

In lower regions below the tree line, nannies also use their fighting abilities to protect themselves and their offspring from predators. Predators including wolves, wolverines, lynx and bears will attack goats of most ages given the opportunity. However, the cougar is perhaps the primary predator, being both powerful enough to overwhelm the largest adult goats and uniquely nimble enough to navigate the rocky ecosystem of the goat. Even though their size protects them from most potential predators in higher altitudes, nannies still must defend their young from golden eagles, which can be a major predatory threat to kids. Nannies have even been observed trying to dominate the more passive but often heavier bighorn sheep that share some of their territory.

Mountain goats can occasionally be aggressive towards humans, with at least one reported fatality resulting from an attack by a mountain goat.