Discover the “supernatural” ability of goats to climb nearly 457 meters in just 20 minutes.
Goat Climbing Abilities
As one of the first domesticated animals closely associated with humans, goats are a popular symbol in both Eastern culture (the Year of the Goat – one of the 12 Zodiac animals) and Western culture (Capricorn – one of the 12 Zodiac signs).
These animals are also well-known for their many unique skills, such as intelligence, agility, and the ability to stay awake all night without rest.
However, one of the lesser-known strengths of goats is their unmatched climbing ability, which surpasses that of many felines like tigers, leopards, and domestic cats.
We often see herds of wild goats and sheep freely roaming and living in grasslands. However, in some parts of the world, there are goat species that do not live in meadows; they inhabit cliffs and can nimbly navigate steep rock faces. A prime example is the Oreamnos americanus, also known as the North American Mountain Goat or Snow Sheep, which can easily ascend and descend vertical cliffs safely with just a small foothold. They can climb nearly 457 meters in just 20 minutes.
Their extraordinary talent is attributed to their unique body structure, which makes them masters of climbing.
Firstly, goats have cloven hooves, split into two parts with sturdy and firm edges. In the middle of the hooves, there is a spacious gap and a soft cushion.
Cloven hooves enable these animals to maintain excellent balance, especially on rugged terrain, while the soft cushion acts like a rubber sole to increase friction, allowing them to grip even the smallest contact surfaces.
Similar to camels, goats belonging to the Artiodactyla order have highly flexible ankle bone structures that aid in swift movement and maintaining balance on challenging terrain.
Another characteristic that facilitates climbing is their strong and muscular body. The front part of a goat’s body is particularly robust, especially the shoulder muscles, which help them pull their entire body forward when climbing at great heights.
However, this does not mean that their hindquarters are weak. On the contrary, while the hind legs may not be as strong, they are still powerful enough to enable precise and swift jumps from heights of nearly 4 meters.
With a body structure where the front is stronger than the back, flat terrain is not the ideal environment for them to showcase their speed. Instead, steep or even vertical terrain is more suited to the pushing and pulling abilities of goats.
Moreover, experts have discovered that goats prefer to traverse precarious cliffs to avoid threats from predators that often lurk in more ordinary terrains.
Despite their adeptness at navigating rocky environments, they occasionally fall from heights due to reasons such as avalanches.
Additionally, strong winds blowing across mountain cliffs often remove the snow covering the surface, exposing layers of vegetation rich in minerals that goats favor.
Domesticated around 7000 – 10,000 BC, goats are among the earliest animals in human life.
However, this does not mean that modern goats have lost their ancient instincts. Goats are known to be intelligent and prone to boredom, which keeps their climbing instincts and continuous activity alive. Therefore, don’t be surprised if you see a goat precariously perched as if it’s “stuck” to a wall.
