Harris found that changing weather conditions driven by climate change were associated with the survival rates of native mountain goats for the past 20 years.
It proves that the deaths of the translocated goats were not just due to being in unfamiliar territory.
In the Cascades, goats depend on cool spring seasons and melting snow to nourish the meadows they feed in during the summer.
But lately, the mountains have been receiving heavy snowfall, rapid melting in the spring, and dry summers that have limited their food sources.
Rising global temperatures are transforming alpine environments, putting other species besides the goats at risk.
There is still hope that the goats will rebound, but it’s too soon to tell. For now, scientists will continue monitoring the goats.
