DESCRIPTION

Height at the withers: 75-85 cm. In summer, tawny-brown coat with black stripes along the back, in blackish-brown winter. Cheeks, back of the nose and clear belly. For both sexes, horns shaped fangs. "Beard of chamois": kind of mane that the male wears in winter on the back.

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HABITAT

It lives mainly between 800 and 3000 m in the Alps. In the Pyrenees, the isard (or izard) is an animal of the same family as the chamois but it is considered as a different species. It is heavier and clearer. We often tend to confuse them.

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WAY OF LIFE

In summer, the chamois lives in the high mountains, near the snow limit and feeds on plants. In winter, it descends to the forests of altitude and feeds on pine spines. These animals with sharp senses and nimble feet usually live in small troops of five to thirty individuals. One of them stands guard while the others feed and warns them of the dangers by hissing. Males called "goats" live isolated while females and young gather in small herds, always led by an old female.

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FOOD

Chamois and isard feed on grasses and alpine clover, but also on tree leaves, lichens and mushrooms.

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BREEDING

During the rutting season, the male can claim his territory by marking the secretions of a gland located behind the horns and strives to hold a female by fighting with other males. A baby is born after a gestation of twenty-four weeks.

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THREAT

These animals have been hunted to excess for the pleasure of hunting but also for their flesh and soft leather and soft called chamois leather that is pulled from their skin. Some chamois subspecies are now listed as endangered species. Chamois are now protected in the Ecrins National Park.

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