About this item
The American mountain goat is one of the most elusive and least familiar species of hoofed mammals in North America. Confined to the remote and rugged mountains of the western United States and Canada, these extraordinary mountaineers are seldom seen or encountered, even by those who patiently study them. Life on the Rocks offers an intimate portrayal of this remarkable animal through the eyes and lens of field biologist and photographer Bruce Smith.Color photographs and accounts of Smith's personal experiences living in Montana's Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area accompany descriptions of the American mountain goat's natural history. Smith explores their treacherous habitat, which spans the perilous cliffs and crags of the Rocky, Cascade, and Coast mountain ranges. The physical and behavioral adaptations of these alpine athletes enable them to survive a host of dangers, including six-month-long winters, scarce food sources, thunderous avalanches, social strife, and predators like wolves, bears, lions, wolverines, and eagles. Smith also details the challenges these animals face as their territory is threatened by expanding motorized access, industrial activities, and a warming climate.
About the Author
Bruce Smith is a wildlife biologist and science writer. He spent most of his 30-year federal career managing wildlife populations on the Wind River Indian Reservation and the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming. His research produced over 40 technical and popular papers and book chapters focused primarily on large mammal population dynamics, habitat ecology, diseases, migratory behavior, and predator-prey relationships. After a combat tour with the US Marines in Vietnam, Bruce earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Montana. His Master's research concerned winter ecology of American mountain goats in Montana's Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area. Half-way through his government career, he investigated the population biology of the Jackson Hole elk herd, earning a doctorate degree from the University of Wyoming. His first book, Imperfect Pasture (2004) , records changes in the ecology of the National Elk Refuge during its 100-year history. Wildlife on the Wind (2010) is based on his four years working with the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Indian tribes. At their request, he catalogued the status of the reservation's diverse wildlife and helped foster a landmark recovery of elk, deer, moose, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope. Where Elk Roam: Conservation and Biopolitics of Our National Elk Herd (2011) chronicles his 22 years studying and managing Jackson Hole's famous migratory elk herd and the conservation challenges the elk face. Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award, Life on the Rocks: A Portrait of the American Mountain Goat (2014) is a large format book with dozens of color photographs accompanying the text. It offers a continental look at the natural history, behavior, and conservation challenges of Bruce's favorite mammal.His latest book, Stories from Afield: Adventures with Wild Things in Wild Places (2016) , is a collection of 16 essays that range from humorous to harrowing. While all are entertaining, a conservation message is woven throughout the book, which won the Great Northwest Book Festival Award.His current project is a novel written for middle grade children, featuring an orphaned mountain goat with a weighty destiny to fulfill. After leaving the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2004, Bruce and his wife Diana moved to southwest Montana where he continues his conservation work and writing.
