Species | M-ORAM - Mountain Goat
General Information
Name: Mountain Goat
Phylum: Craniata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Scientific: Oreamnos americanus
Key Habitat Features
- Escape terrain (steep slopes including cliffs, windswept alpine ridges, and rocky escarpments),
- Foraging areas adjacent to escape terrain. (shrubs and grass communities).
- Steep south and south-west facing slopes, windswept ridges, conifer bluffs, snow shedding slopes.
- Mineral licks and connectivity trails.
Objectives
- Minimize disturbance and ensure that activities do not disrupt behaviour of adult females and young during the lambing season.
- Maintain continued use of escape terrain, adjacent foraging areas, and natal areas by Mountain Goat.
- Maintain desired plant communities and key habitat features.
Planning and Operational Measures
Planning Measures
All Activities
- Identify key habitat features using appropriate measures (i.e. QP direction, desktop review, field confirmation, etc) and plan activities within the operating area accordingly.
- Time works such that they occur outside of the critical timing window.
- Apply the appropriate survey and setback requirements for WHFs within identified habitat. (Refer to section 1.9 of the EPMG for additional guidance on WHFs).
Linear Features (roads, pipelines, seismic)
All:
- Minimize linear disturbance as they enhance predator mobility especially near critical areas.
Operational Measures
All Activities
- Undertake construction and operation of oil and gas activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to desired plant communities and key habitat features.
- Minimize noise and use of mechanical clearing and activity in identified habitat.
Timing considerations when working within identified habitat:
- When working within identified habitat, avoid disturbance and/or clearing activities within know birthing areas during the critical timing window from May 15 to July 15.
- Where an application area is within a NEBC UWR or WHA for Mountain Goat, please refer to the EIMS summary for that Order. Proponents are required to adhere to the guidance provided in that summary, including any relevant timing considerations.
Linear Features
All
- Upon completion of the activity, undertake the following measures to encourage re-establishment of the pre-disturbance ecological trajectory:
- deactivate unnecessary access corridors,
- undertake measures to control access,
- promote natural or assisted regeneration.