Mountain goat capture in Olympic National Park

For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong

Section:Gallery

Tue., July 9, 2019

A pair of mountain goats, including a billy, top, and a nanny, hang in slings as they are airlifted by helicopter Tuesday, July 9, 2019, to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
A pair of mountain goats, including a billy, top, and a nanny, hang in slings as they are airlifted by helicopter Tuesday, July 9, 2019, to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
Olympic National Park Wildlife Branch Chief Patti Happe reaches toward a pair of mountain goats, including a billy, top, and a nanny, to settle them on the back of a truck after they were airlifted by helicopter Tuesday, July 9, 2019, to Hurricane Ridge in the park near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
A ranger walks past a row of specially made crates that will be used to transport mountain goats Tuesday, July 9, 2019, on Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
Workers surround a blindfolded and hobbled mountain goat as they prepare to move him from the back of a truck after being airlifted by helicopter Tuesday, July 9, 2019, to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
As others tend to two adult mountain goats on a flatbed truck below, Derrick Halsey, a wildlife capture specialist known as a "mugger," carries a kid mountain goat in the passenger seat of a helicopter about to land Tuesday, July 9, 2019, on Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
As others tend to two adult mountain goats on a flatbed truck in front of him, Derrick Halsey, a wildlife capture specialist known as a "mugger," carries a kid mountain goat from a helicopter Tuesday, July 9, 2019, on Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
Derrick Halsey, a wildlife capture specialist known as a "mugger," hands off a kid mountain goat to Olympic National Park Wildlife Branch Chief Patti Happe Tuesday, July 9, 2019, after airlifting the goat and two others to Hurricane Ridge in the park near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
Hands hold down the feet of a kid mountain goat being examined by a team of veterinarians and assistants Tuesday, July 9, 2019, after being captured and airlifted to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
Olympic National Park ranger Katherine Beirne holds a horn guard with a note about the mountain goat it was used on earlier, "Took a good tumble. Still standing when I got to him," Tuesday, July 9, 2019, on Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
A pair of blindfolded and hobbled mountain goats, including a billy, right, and a nanny, are cradled by workers in the back of a truck after being airlifted by helicopter Tuesday, July 9, 2019, to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
A billy mountain goat, blindfolded, hobbled and sedated, has a tracking collar put on him while also being examined by a team of veterinarians and assistants Tuesday, July 9, 2019, after being captured and airlifted to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
A kid mountain goat receives oxygen while being examined by a team of veterinarians and assistants Tuesday, July 9, 2019, after being captured and airlifted to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
A billy mountain goat, blindfolded, hobbled and sedated, has a tracking collar put on him as his horns, covered by protective guards made of old hoses, are held to steady his head Tuesday, July 9, 2019, after being captured and airlifted to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press
Workers surround a mountain goat being placed into a specially made crate after being airlifted by helicopter and checked by a medical team Tuesday, July 9, 2019, to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Wash. For the second straight summer, mountain goats are flying in Olympic National Park. Officials this week began rounding up the sure-footed but nonnative mammals from remote, rugged parts of the park so they can be relocated into the Cascade Mountains, where they do belong.

Elaine Thompson Associated Press