Overview
The longest horns reported from New Zealand were those of a female, measuring 13-1/4 inches (33.7 cm). More information is needed to determine physical characteristics that differ this sub-specie from the Alpine chamois sub-specie.The short summer coat is reddish or pale brown. The winter coat of long guard hairs over thick underfur is a dark shade of brown. The underparts are pale, the rump is white. Throat, lower jaw, front of face and inside of ears are white, and there is a dark mask from ear to muzzle. The hoofs have hard, sharp edges to utilize small rock projections, and rubbery soles to grip on slippery rock. Both sexes grow short, slim black horns that are round in cross section and hook sharply backward near the tips. The female's horns can be longer than the male's, but are slimmer and sometimes lack the hooks.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Rupicapra
- Species
- Rupicapra pyrenaica
Habitat
These chamois prefer high-altitude areas with continuous cover. Summer range consists of open tussock grassland near precipitous, rocky country. Descends to subalpine forest and scrub in winter. Distribution- They are only in three small populations in the Abruzzo, Majella, and Gran Sasso-Monti della Laga National Parks in Italy.
Diet
Chamois both graze and browse. During summer months chamois feed on herbs and flowers, while during winter they turn to lichens, mosses and young pines.
Behavior
This is a graceful and agile mountain animal. Chamois usually use speed to escape predators and can run at 31 mph (50 kmh) and jump 6.6 ft (2 m) vertically into the air or over a distance of 20 ft (6 m). They are gregarious, living in herds of up to 20-30 animals. Older males are usually solitary except during the rut in May-June when they join the females. Chamois are diurnal, feeding early and late, with the middle part of the day spent resting. A sentinel (usually a female) is posted to watch for danger, and will warn the others with shrill whistles. All senses are excellent, but eyesight is exceptional. Very agile and elusive, handling precipitous terrain with ease.
Hunting
It is best to hunt chamois from above, as their natural instinct is to scan for danger from below.
Conservation Status
Adding together the three populations of this subspecies, their numbers are expected to be around 1,100. This is a drastic increase from a point of near extinction during World War II when their population was less than 100 individuals.