According to KOIN 6 News, on July 27, two hikers spotted the unusual animal while hiking Mount Hood in Oregon.

Hikers on Mount Hood had a rare and thrilling encounter with a Rocky Mountain goat. Jackson Smith of Oregon KOIN 6 News He and a friend were backpacking on Yocum Ridge Trail around 5 p.m. when they spotted the unusual goat coming down a cliff.

Video: Rare Rocky Mountain goat spotted on Mount Hood #Mountain #animalhttps://t.co/xYVXMJXUxm

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“We heard rocks falling along the north ridge, so we looked up and saw a Rocky Mountain goat about 30 to 50 yards away,” Smith told KOIN 6 News. “We were both totally shocked, but remained motionless and silent as the goat began to make its way down the ridge toward the Sandy River below.” (Related: Report: Police find 200 dead goats on farm)

According to the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain goats can be found from southeast Alaska to the Washington side of the Columbia River, but are rarely seen on Mount Hood. Mount Hood National Forest spokesperson Raven Reese said there have been occasional reports of these goats being seen on Mount Hood, but few sightings have been confirmed. “We do not have an established population and we have not been reintroducing them,” Reese said. “Any goats that have been seen are likely dispersals or strays from established populations elsewhere.”

Historically, mountain goat populations were decimated by overhunting by European settlers in the 1800s. According to KOIN 6 News, efforts to reintroduce mountain goats to their native range began in the 1900s in Alaska, Alberta, Idaho, Montana and Washington. They have also been introduced to new areas in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah and Nevada.