'They Just Aren't Thinking': Visitors Getting Too Close To Mountain Goats
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Wildlife and the visitors flocking to public lands to spot them are getting too close for comfort. No where is that more visible than the summit of Mount Evans.
Even with a uniformed U.S. Forest Service employee standing nearby, the shear size of the crowd and the number of goats in the area made the challenge of policing the problem very apparent.
Parks and wildlife officials are beefing up a hazing program - using loud noises and even paintball guns to try to get the goats to move out of these very busy parking lots.
Over the years many of the animals have become so accustomed to humans, they show no fear, even walking right up to people. There have also been cases of goats attacking hikers in Colorado, especially when they have young around.
Officials say they need visitors to do their part to help solve this problem by never feeding wildlife. They also ask people to use a zoom lens on the camera, and if an animals changes its behavior you are too close.
LINK: Viewing Mountain Goats