The sidebar on that article said the park service personnel were familiar with that particular goat:

'Barb Maynes, park spokeswoman, said the ram was known for its aggressive behavior, including reports of it following people along the trails around Klahhane Ridge.

'The park had been monitoring the ram for "the last several years," she said.'

So, what happened here? Is the goat of an endangered variety? Is there a shortage of goats in the area? Or were the park people just being politically correct in not shooting the goat when they knew it was a potential danger?

As Teslinhiker said, they're not known for their aggressive nature, so most people wouldn't think it was a threat, as with the usual predators. And if it suddenly became a threat (as it did), what did the park people surmise the people were likely/able to do about it?

Once again, a group of people who should have known better failed to take the long view. It's always the knee-jerk response.

Sue