The chamois is a nimble of the high mountains of Europe, the Caucasus, and Turkey. Both sexes wear short black horns that hook sharply backward, and they can bound across rocky slopes at about 30 mph (50 km/h). It does not live wild in the United States; it was introduced to New Zealand in 1907 and now lives wild there.
Appearance
- Appearance
- About 28–31 in (70–80 cm) at the shoulder and 55–130 lb (25–60 kg), with males larger. The face is white with bold black stripes below the eyes. The coat is brown in summer and changes color in winter.
Look-alikes
Pyrenean chamoisRupicapra pyrenaica
Hard to tell apart in photos; location is the surest clue. Chamois in the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains, or Apennines are Pyrenean chamois.
Why they get mixed upThey were long treated as one species.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Rocky alpine slopes
- Alpine meadows
- Mountain forests
- Range
- Mountains of central and southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Turkey; introduced to New Zealand's South Island.
- Preferred conditions
- Summers in alpine and subalpine meadows above the tree line; winters in forest and on steep slopes where snow doesn't pile up. Found up to about 11,800 ft (3,600 m).
Behavior
- Diet
- Herbs and flowers in summer; lichens, mosses, and young pine shoots in winter. When deep snow buries its food, it can go about two weeks without eating.
- Activity
- Active mainly by day. When alarmed, chamois give a sharp whistle, stamp their feet, and flee to cliffs. They can jump about 6 ft (2 m) high.
- Social life
- Females and young form herds of about 15–30, while adult males mostly live alone until the fall .
Life cycle
- Breeding season
- The rut runs from October to December in Europe.
- Gestation
- About 170 days
- Litter size
- Usually 1 kid, occasionally twins
- Lifespan
- Typically 15–17 years in the wild; up to 22 years in captivity.
Name and classification
- About the name
- Chamois from the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains, and Apennines were once included here but are now treated as a separate species, the Pyrenean (southern) chamois, Rupicapra pyrenaica. The remaining northern chamois is split into seven subspecies by mountain range, the Alpine chamois being the best known.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
- Status
- Some small subspecies are strictly protected under the EU Habitats Directive. In New Zealand, where chamois are introduced, hunting is not restricted and the government encourages it.
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- "Chamois" (or "shammy") leather for polishing cars and glass is named after this animal. It was originally made from chamois hide but today usually comes from deer, goat, or sheep.
- In alpine countries, a tuft of the chamois's hair from the back and neck, called a gamsbart, is worn as a traditional hat ornament.
More species to explore
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