Today’s Friday Flashback is from 24 April 2017 and is entitled ‘Old Winter Coat – Going Free‘. We’d occasionally see one or two mountain goats early in the season in the Khutzeymateen and maybe in one or two other mountainous settings I’ve been to also, but not many.
Original Text: “Spring is a time when many animals shed their winter coats – grizzly bears for example come out of hibernation and shed their dark brown coat, often revealing a much lighter and finer haired coat beneath and, as seen here, mountain goats are no different. These winter coats are actually longer, thicker guard hairs that sprout over their much finer, wool like hairs beneath as an extra insulation layer for the cold winter months. These member of the antelope family will usually begin shedding their coats by May, leaving large chunks of fur behind after rubbing on foliage and trees. This event can often start whilst the goats are at lower altitudes in search of food.“