The mountain goat, also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is an even-toed ungulate of the group that includes antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. A subalpine to alpine species, the mountain goat inhabits the Rocky Mountain and Cascade Range and other mountainous regions of the Western Cordillera of North America. Their coats help them to withstand winter temperatures as low as −46 °C and winds of up to 160 kilometres per hour.
There are an estimated 50,000 mountain goats in British Columbia. During the 1900’s numbers declined primarily because of over-hunting but recent hunting restrictions and reintroductions have reversed the trend. Although populations are recovering in the Whistler/Pemberton area they face increasing stress from heli-skiing and snowmobile tours. These motorized activities are putting pressure on the local goat population who flee out of their ideal winter range into substandard habitat.
Rising above Upper Joffre Lake, Slalok Mountain stands at 2653 m above sea level and is home to the beautiful Stonecrop Glacier, which dates back to the last ice age some 20,000 years ago. Rock flour from this glacial erosion in the waters of the Joffre Lakes reflects blue and green light waves turning them a beautiful turquoise color. A disturbing result of recent climate change it is estimated that BC’s 17,000 glaciers are permanently loosing approximately 22 billion cubic meters of water every year.
Stonecrop – 2018 – 48″x36″ – Acrylic on Canvas – (sold)
artbydi •, thank you for this post. Its very inspiring.