Alpine Chamois

The Name "Chamois": "Chamois" is an Old French word for the animal.

Location: Mountains of Europe and Asia Minor.

Habitat: Terrestrial. Rocky areas, alpine pastures.

Description: The summer coat is short and smooth while the winter coat is long and dense, with soft underfur. A distinctive feature of this species is the slender hook-shaped horns, which can reach a length of 11 inches, and are present in both sexes. The ability of this animal to move about with ease among rocks in relatively inaccessible terrain is due mainly to the structure of the hooves, which have an elastic base and a hard thin edge. This goat grows to a little over three feet long, slightly less than three feet at the shoulder, and it can weigh up to 130 pounds.

Behavior: The females and young males live in usually small flocks of from 5 up to 15, while the adult males lead a solitary existence, and engage in combat only to acquire a harem during the mating period. In this period the males probably become territorial, marking tree trunks and branches with the smelly secretion of the gland at the base of the horns. The duels between males are often violent clashes with resounding blows of the horns.

Reproduction: After a gestation period of about six months, the female gives birth to a single kid.