Mt. goat education coordinator hired

This coming summer, a joint effort with Idaho Fish and Game, the US Forest Service and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will put volunteer trail ambassadors on Scotchman Peak Trail 65. Although the ambassadors will serve several purposes, the main thrust of their presence will be to educate visitors to the peak about mountain goats and why it’s a good idea to stay away from them. The trail ambassadors will be wearing Forest Service volunteer shirts and FSPW hats. They will be taking surveys about any experiences that visitors might have with mountain goats, whether confrontational or not.

FSPW will be coordinating this effort, which includes hiring a mountain goat education coordinator, a 20-hour-a-week position that will begin in mid-May and continue about 24 weeks. The coordinator will recruit, train and schedule volunteer ambassadors. Ambassadors will be trained in goat behavior and habits, including goat body language. Individual ambassadors will hike the trail at least twice during the coming hike season, concentrating on weekends and holidays.

“We are excited to undertake this effort,” said FSPW program coordinator Sandy Compton. “This will give us opportunity to teach people about goats, ensuring their safety on the trail, as well as the future of the goats themselves.”

Aggressive goat behavior, caused primarily by habituation of the animals by humans feeding and otherwise interacting closely with the goats, caused Trail #65 to be closed for several months recently.

“One goal is to prevent future closures with this program,” Compton said. “The other is to ‘wean’ goats off of human ‘help,’ which is really no help at all.”

If you are interested in becoming a trail ambassador for this program, contact sandy@scotchmanpeaks.org