As we slowly wended our way up the magnificent fjord of Tracy Arm to enjoy the active calving of the Sawyer glaciers and the exhilarating beauty of the icebergs floating west along the fjord, we were able to see on the sheer granitic cliffs abundant green vegetation consisting mostly of Stick alder and a series of smaller flowering plants growing among the crevasses and ledges.

In the middle of this greenery we saw a mountain goat, not too far from the water's edge, feeding on some small plants. This species of ungulate is really more related to antelopes than to the true goats, and has an all white/cream narrow body, with black horns, nose, and hooves. The female has horns as well as the male, only thinner. It usually produces two kids a year, and during summer they are easily seen, always following the mother along the ledges and crevasses in the cliff faces and passes, learning the routes and the good places to find food.

The individual in the photo is alone, which at this time of year indicates that it is probably an adult male. The principal danger these animals face during their lifetime is not a predator, but gravity, as it is well known that many animals suffer from falls, sometimes fatal. The population of this species in Southeastern Alaska is quite healthy.