How Many Mountain Goats?
I took this picture at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and only later found it fascinating! As the tram went past it (and do not get me started on how awful that tram ride was. I will never, ever do it again if there are obnoxious children and parents waiting to get on it, which means I will probably never, ever do it again.) the guide said, “This is our habitat for mountain goats. They’re hard to see, but they are up there!”
I saw six immediately, and pointed them out to the people next to me who couldn’t see any of them. I snapped a photo to remind myself of the neat camouflage job. Later, when I looked at the photo on zoom, I realized there were a few more than four.
If you want to give it a try, right click on the photo and save it to your computer, then look at it in your photo manager and enlarge it to about 200%. Enlarging it too much pixelates the image and makes it more difficult to see. Then, use a magnifying glass if you need to, to really see the detail. Go over each zone of the photo and you’ll see them. It’s sort of like an Easter Egg Hunt!
I wonder what would happen if a few of those mountain goats, surveying their bland and rather bleak surroundings, would decide to jazz things up a bit. How would they redecorate? How would they change their own appearances? What would they do to stand out in the crowd? I suppose the answer is that they would do none of those things, because they know hungry mountain lions would spot them easier. Individualism can be a good thing but attracting unwanted attention is not! Many of us would have benefited from attending Mountain Goat Survival School early in our lives.
Let me know how many you find!
********************************************************
OK gang, time to get the answer. I only am counting those that I can see for sure, either on my own or with a magnifying glass. (Although, even without a magnifying glass I can see most of them fairly well when enlarged slightly.) I have three question marks, and 41 sightings! Yes, 41! I had entered it here as 39, when I found two more, right out in the open!
Pastor Jeff Adams found several that I had not found, but I don’t think that should count, because he is supposed to sort of be like a shepherd, finding the sheep. Right? And, doesn’t the Bible say something about separating the sheep from the goats, or vice versa? Anyway, when it comes to seek and ye shall find, he found them!
Evans, Colorado Police Department Chief of Police Rick Brandt did a good job too. But again, how impressive is that, when he has had a whole career involved with finding people who don’t want to be found?
A friend who wants to remain anonymous was very close to the correct answer. But since she did most of her looking while at work, she felt it would be better to not have her name announced. I tried to convince her that my readership on this site could hardly be considered equivalent to putting it in the Rocky Mountain News, but she demurred.
How many did you find? Thanks for playing!
That is an incredible picture! Wow!!!
Comment by Rebekah | August 15, 2008
OK, now I know why I’m not a hunter. Could you maybe take a black Sharpie, circle the 21 goats and republish?
Comment by Jeff Adams | August 15, 2008
Did I ever tell you I hate things like this? My official guess is at least 15, but my eyes aren’t what they use to be. Good photo though. W.A.
Comment by Wiseacre | August 15, 2008
This photo is so awesome! Should I write a guess or send it to you by email? D.
Comment by denisek | August 15, 2008
This is nuts! I can only find 15 and I’ve spent an hour looking. I have to get back to work! Mike
Comment by Mike B. | August 16, 2008
Tina, I sent you a separate email with my answer. Mike and I have been looking, but we have a very bad photo manager that doesn’t enlarge much. Now you see what we do on rainy Saturdays with no business! P.
Comment by P.A.H. | August 16, 2008
I found this site while looking for your book, A Preparation Guide for the Assessment Center Method. Great site and a fun foto. I’m going to take you up on your offer for a phone call and will get in touch on Monday. Thanks very much. I hear really good things about the book and am looking forward to it. My test is in November.
T.W.
Comment by T.W. | August 16, 2008
Tina says: Thanks, T.W. for the comment. I’ll look forward to hearing from you on Monday. I sent an email as well, with some information about the Assessment Center process. Best wishes! Tina
Comment by Tina | August 16, 2008
[…] you’d like to see the original with her comments, check it out here. You might even want to spend some time poking around her site. As a trainer, presenter and […]
Pingback by Jeff Adams » Mindless but Fascinating Activity | August 20, 2008
Tina says: Thank you Jeff for linking people on your site to me! I read your post and laughed at the suggestion that I’m smarter than you. I’m smart enough to know you’re brilliant and I’m barely sparkly! But, the thought is nice!
Comment by Tina | August 20, 2008
Just when I think I’ve found them all I find another one, so I figure there are more than I am finding. I’m up to 23. Will you be letting us know the answer? Thanks! L.
Comment by L. D. | August 20, 2008
I don’t know if we’re allowed second chances, but I’ve found 25 and can’t find any others. Some of the rocks look like animals but I don’t think they are. I’m sending you a copy of the photo with my picks circled. Don’t do this again!!!! 🙂
Comment by P.A.H. | August 20, 2008
Tina says:
Thank you everyone for your comments and emails. I’ll put the answer right in the article very soon! I’ve found more! Tina
Comment by Tina | August 20, 2008
I sent you a comment about ROWE, but had to get in on this too. I’ve found 33 and maybe up to 35 by using a magnifying glass. I’ve been to the Wild Animal Park and saw this enclosure and thought it was empty until my wife pointed out a dozen or so mountain goats and another goat type that is in there. B.
Comment by B. B. | August 21, 2008
No way! No way!!!!
Comment by Mike B. | August 23, 2008
Tina says:
Mike, if by, “No way!!” you’re referring to the fact that you don’t believe there are 39 mountain goats: Way!!!
🙂
Comment by Tina | August 23, 2008
I put this in my photo viewing program and counted 26 and my wife saw 30. My niece saw 34. If you have the time would you please mark the photo in some way, to indicate where you see the mountain goats? I know that is asking a lot, but we are curious! Thank you very much. Lorenzo Salas
Comment by Goatman | November 2, 2008