Projects Funded 

By: Jesse Wolf

Jesse Wolf received a grant from the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to support his research allowing him to travel to complete field work related to a mountain goat project in northwestern British Columbia. 

The field work allowed us to perform additional analyses and expand the dataset. We use fecal pellet samples to describe population genetic structure, as well as to access the microbial composition of each individual mountain goats’ gut. This allows us to use a relatively non-invasive sample approach which can provide a wealth of information regarding the health of a given individual and population(s), as well as gene flow between populations and the resulting population structure.

In 2018, Krystal Dixon with Trent University, applied for a grant with the RMGA to help fund a research project. 

While most populations of mountain goats undertake some seasonal movement, little is known about dispersal patterns in mountain goat populations. Using the appropriate scale to manage populations ensures that conservation measures and human impacts are considered, while balancing other potential negative impacts on those populations (resource extraction, access, recreation, harvest, etc.). A total of 22 GPS collars were deployed in 2018, and a full suite of tests were completed on the collared goats before being released and tracked. 

In 2022, Kiana Young with Trent University applied for an RMGA Science and Conservation grant to provide compensation for the time needed to finish analysing the study results and produce the final manuscript.

The goal of this study is to characterize the genetic population structure and demographic history of mountain goats in Alaska. Over the past years, we have collected over ~2000 samples from mountain goats across their range in Alaska. These samples have been extracted and genotyped at 14 polymorphic loci. For example, Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska has been of interest to researchers and land managers due to previous evidence that an endemic population of mountain goats existed on the island before the introduction in the 1920s. The addition of samples from this analysis could help further highlight how mountain goats on Baranof Island are related to mainland mountain goats.

RMGA members can access the full report.

In 2022, Jami Belt applied for an RMGA Science and Conservation grant for a research project in Glacier National Park. The park needs to understand whether goats in GNP are a single population or subdivided into smaller subpopulations to provide context on the significance of this apparent decline. Information is currently needed to guide proposed infrastructure and regulations that are currently under consideration. Goats are in the park's Foundation documents, and studying goats from ecological and human interaction perspectives is a park goal.

RMGA members can access the full report.

In 2022, Luke Vander Vennen with the Government of British Columbia applied for an RMGA Science and Conservation grant. Luke proposed to fill significant mountain goat knowledge gaps by deploying 15 GPS collars into several study areas across the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada for three winter seasons. These collars will provide information on winter habitat selection, critical kidding areas, mortality rates, and important mineral lick locations.

11 collars have been previously deployed in nearby areas, so this project provides an excellent opportunity to partner with existing projects and develop a spatially extensive dataset through the deployment of additional collars across the region. These data will provide critical insights into mountain goat movement patterns, habitat selection, and survival rates. 

RMGA members can access the full report. 

Photo credit: Darryn Epp Photography

In 2022, Forest Hayes applied for an RMGA Science and Conservation grant. Unabated global warming threatens to shift ecosystem ranges faster than species can adapt. This risk is especially pronounced for cold-adapted species, such as mountain goats, which experience strong climatic limitations to their geographic range and dispersal. Hayes’ seeks to understand the effects of local climate on the fine-scale behavior of mountain goats and how this may affect future range-wide habitat suitability. This research will inform understanding of behavioral response to local climate and the range of variability in response throughout the southern portion of the range of mountain goats.

RMGA members can access the full report.

In 2021, Daniel Guertin applied for an RMGA Science and Conservation grant. Guertin’s project involved organizing a ground-based citizen science survey of moutnains in the Cheam GMU with a concurrent aerial inventory. The results of both surveys would be compared. If the surveys came back with similar results, then this project would act to validate citizen science surveys as cost-effective alternatives or augmentation to monitor goat populations in the region and province.

RMGA dollars were used for the purchasing of GPS collars on Utah's  Wasatch Front to further study the region's increasing dispersal of  mountain goats. Goats were captured and collared in the winter of 2017  and ongoing research is providing detailed updates on the animals  movements mostly in the souther portions of the front.

Kenai Mountains Mountain Goat Research Project Update Mountain goats inhabiting Alaska’s Kenai Mountains represent the westernmost naturally occurring goat population in North America. Mountain goats inhabit most areas within the Kenai Mountains including parts of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Chugach National Forest, and Kenai Fjords National Park. Goat densities are highest in coastal areas and lower in the interior mountains, where goats coexist with Dall's sheep and caribou. Relatively little is known about this unique goat population and, in an effort to improve our understanding of goat ecology in this mountain range, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Chugach National Forest, and Kenai Fjords National Park have partnered to initiate a cooperative research project focused on mountain goats. Financial contributions from the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance purchase of additional radio-collars were instrumental in getting the project up and running this year.

Unfortunately, a reality of drugging and relocating wild animals is that not 100% of them survive. What is to become of these expired animals? The RMGA recently funded for Conservation Committee member, Kevin White of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, to travel to Washington with his colleagues Tom and Kathleen Stephenson (California Department of Fish and Wildlife) and Yasaman Shakeri (Alaska Department of Fish and Game) to make sure these valuable specimens would contribute to important scientific studies and did not go to waste.

The RMGA Conservation Fund generously provided funding to support  the translocation efforts of mountain goats from the Olympic Peninsula  to their native Cascade mountain range. As a result of this support, Dr.  Katie Haman, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Wildlife  Veterinarian, was able to participate in these captures, providing much  needed veterinary support to ensure the humane capture, treatment and  health assessment of translocated goats.

RMGA conservation dollars were utilized at the 2019 capture to  purchase everything from GPS collars for Washington Department of Game  & Fish, to an additional veterinarian to help process animals, as  well as funding the attendance of biologists Tom Stevenson and Kevin  White to further develop their ultrasound body condition measuring  techniques.