French Goats Narrowly Escape Huge Avalanche (Video)

<p>Flickr, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yoannlambert/"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dub-o-aa/">Alexis Dubois</a></p>
<p>Flickr, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yoannlambert/"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dub-o-aa/">Alexis Dubois</a></p>

A herd of very lucky goats barely escaped a massive avalanche that came hurtling down the side of a mountain in the Rhône-Alpes of France -- and it was all captured by a group of cheering onlookers. From the video, it looks as though a few of the group of Chamois, a goat-antelope hybrid native to European mountains, will be lost in the snow. But, thankfully, they pop out and run at break-neck speed away from danger.

click to play video

Avalanches aren't unusual in the area, and are a common cause of death for Chamois. But the species has adapted to escape these kind of disasters -- they can jump almost 6 feet in height and 19 feet in length and can run up to 30 mph. They even use an alert system to warn of an emergency, by stamping their feet and uttering a high pitched whistling noise -- telling other members of the herd to get out of harm's way.

Avalanches aren't unusual in the area, and are a common cause of death for Chamois. But the species has adapted to escape these kind of disasters -- they can jump almost 6 feet in height and 19 feet in length and can run up to 30 mph. They even use an alert system to warn of an emergency, by stamping their feet and uttering a high pitched whistling noise -- telling other members of the herd to get out of harm's way.