Goats

Goats are mentioned several times in Tolkien's tales, but almost always in a metaphorical way, with characters referring to their nimbleness or fleet-footedness. So, we can be sure that goats were familiar animals in Middle-earth, but we have no real information about where they were most likely to be found. The sole exception is the hill of Amon Rûdh, from which the Petty-dwarf Mím made his escape down a track in the hillside made by goats. Thus Amon Rûdh is the only specific location where we can be absolutely sure goats were to be found in Middle-earth.

Capra aegagrus is the wild goat, and its domesticated cousin is Capra aegagrus hircus. It is not entirely clear from the references we have whether characters are referring to wild or domestic goats, but given the common emphasis on their grace and climbing skill our references would seem to tend towards the wild variety. In the specific case of Amon Rûdh, with its steep and treacherous hilltop path in the wilds of Beleriand, we can be all but certain that the goats involved were wild ones.

The ultimate source of the Old English name for this animal, 'gāt', is not certainly known. One possibility is the ancient root *ghaid-, which meant 'jump, play', and seems to have been applied to first young goats (known in modern English as 'kids').