Alpine Chamois

The chamois or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Alps, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Rila–Rhodope massif, Pindus, the northeastern mountains of Turkey, and the Caucasus. At present, humans are the main predator of chamois. In the past, the principal predators were Eurasian lynxes, Persian leopards and gray wolves; with some predation possibly by brown bears and golden eagles. The chamois looks like a goat-like antelope, its most distinctive characteristic being its white face, with black stripes just below the eyes. The chamois is mostly brown in coloration (which turns light grey in the winter months), but does have a white rump, and a long, black stripe that runs down its back.

Conservation status: Least Concern

Mass: 66 – 130 lbs (Male, Adult), 55 – 99 lbs (Female, Adult)

Scientific name: Rupicapra rupicapra

Height: 2.3 – 2.6 ft. (Adult)

Trophic level: Herbivorous

Length: 3.5 – 4.5 ft. (Adult)

Gestation period: 170 days