Relation between mountain goats and their habitat in south eastern Alaska

Mountain goats in southeastern Alaska occupy habitats providing abundant areas of high quality forage during summer but only limited feeding areas during winter because of deep snow. Winter is a period of severe nutritional deprivation, and goats converge into areas with available forage, often within old-growth forest where relatively low snow depths and litterfall enhance food availability. Goats are further restricted in their habitat use to sites within and near steep and rugged terrain, which provides escape areas from predation by wolves. Because goat winter habitat is limited, even..