Snow Sheep: "I'm not a goat, I'm a goat." ”
Snow sheep, an endemic species that only lives in the mountains of western North America, are great climbers on snow-covered mountains and cliffs. Probably because of their white fur, Chinese named Snow Sheep, and their English names are literally translated as "mountain goats".
Look, the fairies on the mountain are flying
In fact, the snow sheep is not a member of the genus Capra, and it is more closely related to impala, antelope, gazelle and cattle. Among them, the impala and snow sheep in the Himalayan region are very closely related and evolved from a common ancestor. Snow sheep are the only surviving members of their genus, and their Latin name, Oramnos, is inspired by "oreas - fairies on the mountain".
These "fairies of the mountain", both male and female, have beards, short tails and long black horns. There are annual growth wheels on the horns. The horns and whiskers of the ram are longer than those of the female snow sheep, the height of the ram's shoulder to waist is about 1 meter, and the weight is much heavier than the ewe, which can reach 140 kg.
Snow sheep have a snow-white double coat with finely hairy inner layers and a long layer of hollow hairs on the outside, which protects them from the effects of harsh winter weather (minimum temperature −46 degrees Celsius, wind speeds of up to 160 km/h).
Just to lick a little salt
In order to find the salt oozing from the rock wall, just imagining standing on it makes my legs weak, and on those almost vertical cliffs, the snow sheep are like walking on the ground.
"Nothing can stop my yearning for licking salt"
Snow sheep hooves are perfect for climbing steep rocky slopes that slope more than 60°. First, their hard, rough hooves have soft flesh pads, strong ligaments and sensitive nerves, which combine slip resistance, wear resistance, shock absorption and the ability to feel the rock wall.
Anti-slip, wear-resistant, shock-absorbing "iron pickaxe"
On the other hand, their toes are like pickaxes, that is, to prevent slipping, and they can be firmly nailed to the foothold like nails. Strong shoulder and neck muscles also help propel them up steep slopes.
It's like walking on the ground
In addition to the good hardware, the software is also top-notch. Snow Sheep's climbing skills are unparalleled: on the cliff face, it will always stay on its side, keeping its body parallel to the cliff.
It's that steady
When moving forward, it stretches its hind legs, which are pressed against the chest in the first stage. In the second stage, the goat raises its hind legs close to the chest, while the humerus of the front legs remains locked relative to the goat's chest. The movement of these two stages means "vertical translation of the center of gravity" and "very low energy consumption".
The family is pro
After the little snow sheep was born, it almost immediately began to climb up and down with the snow sheep mother. The mother takes very, very good care of the child, standing below the child on a steep slope to prevent the child from falling, while standing above the child when facing the predator, the predator, including the wolf, the wolverine, the lynx and the bear, whenever there is a chance, will attack the snow sheep of most ages, and the snow sheep will fight bravely to protect themselves and their offspring from predators.
Mountain lions (mountain lions) are not only flexible but also powerful, but also dangerous enemies of snow sheep
It is worth mentioning that this year, 2021, in British Columbia's Yoo National Park, there is a case of a grizzly bear being killed by a snow sheep, although it is a very young, thin grizzly bear, but it is enough for the snow sheep to brag about for a lifetime.
The snow sheep was killed not by this big fat bear, but by a miserable little skinny bear weighing only 70 kilograms
Species Day: Write about furry (or not-so-hairy) animals or strange plants every day. The content may be a bit popular, but it is relatively rigorous, and we believe that facts are usually more unexpected and interesting than barren imaginations. I hope that you who love animals and life will pay attention to us and share the joys and challenges of the animal world with each other.