Who害羞草研究所檚 heard the story of a mountain goat living under a B.C. bridge?

It害羞草研究所檚 no tall tale.

The shaggy beast doesn害羞草研究所檛 actually live there, but it did come for a visit Wednesday night and nestle in the east-side underbelly of the Victoria Street Bridge in Trail.

Conservation Officer Blair Thin said shortly after 6 p.m. a call came in that a wild goat was spotted lodged beneath the Columbia River crossing.

He and fellow officer Ben Beetlestone were 70-or-so kilometres away dealing with a campfire violation at Rosebud Lake, so they couldn害羞草研究所檛 see it - or truly believe it - until hours later.

But when they did roll into Trail after 10 p.m., Thin said they quickly located the frightened animal.

害羞草研究所淗e was quite visible under the highway bridge,害羞草研究所� he explained. 害羞草研究所淚t was bedded down between the concrete bridge supports.害羞草研究所�

The goat was assessed to be healthy and approximately three years-old.

害羞草研究所淲e then utilized a jab stick in order to inject a tranquilizer drug,害羞草研究所� Thin said. 害羞草研究所淎nd we were able to borrow a kennel off a local resident so we could transport the goat to an area within its home range.害羞草研究所�

Shortly after the goat woke up from its ordeal at around 11:30 p.m., the officers set it free.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not a common occurrence to have mountain goats underneath the Trail bridge,害羞草研究所� Thin noted. 害羞草研究所淭hat said, there is a healthy population of goats in the near vicinity. This one probably came from the ridge that runs in Sunningdale and behind the hospital,害羞草研究所� he added.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lot of country up there and a lot of craggy rock, which is good habitat for them.害羞草研究所�

Thin did not disclose where the animal was released.

害羞草研究所淎ny animal released back into the wild is quite vulnerable because they still have effects of the tranquilizer,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd we don害羞草研究所檛 want it getting spooked by human activity or a dog, and stumbling off the mountain again.害羞草研究所�