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Chamois Facts

Chamois Facts
Chamois is a type of medium-sized goat-antelope that belongs to the Bovidae family. There are 2 species of chamois that are native to southern and central parts of Europe and Asia Minor. Chamois can be also found on the New Zealand, where it has been introduced at the beginning of the 20th century. Chamois inhabits mountains, alpine meadows, steep slopes and rocky terrains on the altitude from 2.600 to 11.800 feet. Major threats for the survival of chamois in the wild are hunting (because of its meat and skin), habitat loss, lack of food (due to competition with livestock) and diseases. Despite these factors, chamois is not on the list of endangered species.
Interesting Chamois Facts:
Chamois can reach 30 to 31 inches in height, 4 to 6 feet in length and 110 to 121 pounds of weight.
Chamois has thick woolly coat that is reddish brown-colored during the summer and light grey during the winter. It has white face with black stripes below eyes, white rump and black stripe on dorsal side of the body.
Chamois has stocky body and short tail. It has elastic pads on the hooves which facilitate movement on the slippery and rocky terrains.
Chamois has slender, black horns with backward-curved tips. Both males and females have horns, but they are slightly longer in males.
Chamois is active during the day (diurnal). It occasionally eats during the night when the moon is full (when there is plenty of light).
Chamois is a herbivore. Its diet is based on grass, herbs, flowers, moss, lichen and leaves.
Chamois is fast and agile animal that can reach the speed of 31 miles per hour on the uneven terrains.
Chamois is also very good jumper. It can leap 6.6 feet vertically (off the ground) and 20 feet horizontally (in length).
Males are solitary, while females and their offspring live in herds of 15 to 30 animals.
Chamois stomps the ground with its feet and produces high-pitched sounds to alert other members of the herd about upcoming danger.
Natural enemies of chamois are wolves, foxes, wildcats and brown bears.
Mating season of chamois takes place during the winter (usually during November and December).
Pregnancy lasts 170 days and ends with a single, rarely two babies (calves). Baby is usually born in the shelter of grass and lichen. It depends on the mother's milk until the age of 6 months.
Young chamois often stays close to its mother until the age of 1 year. Females remain within their native herds, while young males leave their herds at the age of 2 to 3 years, before they become sexually mature.
Chamois can survive 15 to 17 years in the wild and up to 22 years in the captivity.


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