SEATTLE (AP) — Federal officials are planning to airlift more mountain goats out of Olympic National Park and relocate them to the North Cascades in Washington state next year.
KOMO-TV reports the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service announced the decision Wednesday, agreeing on helicopter landings, temporary fencing, salt blocks and other actions needed to move the goats.
Crews removed 115 goats from the park in September, releasing 98 at five sites in the North Cascades. Eleven goats died during the process and six goat kids were sent to the Northwest Trek Wildlife Park.
The goat relocation is part of an effort to remove them from nonnative areas and build up populations elsewhere.
Wildlife managers aim to remove about 725 goats from the Olympic Peninsula.