No Changes to Glacier's Mountain Goat Management Plan

Kurt Repanshek from the National Parks Traveler is reporting that Glacier National Park has no plans to change its regulations with regards to mountain goats. This response from Superintendent Chas Cartwright comes in light of a multi-million-dollar lawsuit that was recently filed by the widow and stepson of Robert Boardman, who was killed in Olympic National Park by a mountain goat in October 2010.

Witnesses and others in the area at the time describe an aggressive male mountain goat that approached, followed and fatally gored Boardman while he was hiking. Following the fatal encounter, the goat stood over Boardman until several visitors, including an off-duty National Park Service employee, succeeded in scaring off the goat.

An investigation into the park's handling of the case by the family's law firm turned up documentation that the goat had established a pattern of "aggressive behavior towards Park Service employees, experienced hikers, Boy Scout troops, (and) families with children."

Superintendent Cartwright told the National Parks Traveler:

“We have a variety of wild animals, most notably grizzly bears and black bears, and yes, we do have goats, sheep, and other animals that are in close proximity to heavy visitor use. I think that we have a pretty good plan and a pretty good program for managing that, but that’s something that I think will always be in the back of our minds."

You can read the full National Parks Traveler article here.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com