Sheep and Goat Superpowers Exhibit

Learn about bighorn sheep and mountain goats - two of many animals that call Logan Pass home.

NPS Photo

Head Bangers (Bighorn Sheep) 

Did You Know? Bighorn rams have a super head-banging power. Their huge, curved horns grow bigger each year and can weigh over 30 pounds. They also have extra-thick skulls. It’s like they wear super-protective helmets. They use their power each fall during contests for females. The strongest head-banger wins. 

Bighorn sheep need wide, open spaces, unobstructed by trees. They want to be able to see long distances so they have lots of time to get away from their predators. As the climate warms, and the alpine meadows in Glacier National Park are filled with trees, sheep will have less open space. Sheep populations can also be weakened by disease. They are social animals, so when a disease strikes one, it strikes them all. Protected places like Glacier National Park provide important year round habitat for these super head bangers.
 

Cliff Hangers (Mountain Goat) 

Did You Know? Mountain goats have super climbing powers. They have split hooves with two toes that spread wide to help them balance. They also have a rough concave pad on the bottom of each tow that helps them grip steep cliffs. 

Although they are super climbers, the steep areas they live in are also places with lots of avalanches. When those huge slabs of snow slide down the mountainside, mountain goats can be caught in their destructive paths. Also, in order to live in these high peaks, goats have warm thick coats to survive the cold temperatures in the winter. They shed these coats in summer but still need snowfields and shaded places to stay cool in as summer temperatures heat up. Glacier National Park researchers and citizen scientists are keeping tabs on these super climbers to help understand more about them.