Mountain goats in the Italian Alps have reportedly been getting smaller since the 1980s, which correlates with a rise in average temperatures in the area.

Mountain goats in the Italian Alps have reportedly been getting smaller since the 1980s, which correlates with a rise in average temperatures in the area.

Previous studies have shown connections between rising temperatures and the availability or nutritional content of food sources for animals like fish, birds and some mammal species causing them to become smaller in stature.

In this study however, the abundance and quality of the area’s vegetation has not declined, but still the Alpine Chamois goats have shrunk.

Results of the study show that juvenile goats have decreased in body weight by around 25 percent compared to goats of the same age in the 1980s.

Also during that period of time, temperatures have risen by between five to seven degrees Fahrenheit.

Co-author of the study Doctor Stephen Willis, from the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Durham University, is quoted as saying: “We know that Chamois cope with hot periods by resting more and spending less time searching for food, and this may be restricting their size more than the quality of the vegetation they eat.”

The population sizes of the Alpine Chamois have actually grown as temperatures have increased, which could mean that the mountain goats are being forced to compete more for food. The authors also suggest hunting or harvest increases as a method for herd management.