Rupicapra rupicapra

Geographic Range

The range of Rupricapra rupicapra , or chamois, includes the Pyrenees, the mountains of south and central Europe, Turkey, and the Caucasus in Asia. It has been introduced on the South Island of New Zealand. (Huffman, 1999; Nowak, 1999)

• Biogeographic Regions
• palearctic palearctic
  • native native
• australian australian
  • introduced introduced

Habitat

R. rupricapra lives in alpine and sub alpine meadows above the timberline. It winters in forested areas and steep slopes where snow does not accumulate. It is found in both relatively steep and flatter terrain. (Nowak, 1999)

• Habitat Regions
• temperate temperate

• Terrestrial Biomes
• tundra tundra
• mountains mountains

Physical Description

Weight: 25 to 50 kg; Shoulder Height: 70 to 80 cm; Length 110 to135 cm. Chamois are a chestnut color but are lighter in the spring and summer. In the winter these animals grow long guard hairs over their dark brown under fur. Under parts are pale and the rump is white at the tail. A dark brown band runs from each side of the muzzle to the ears and eyes, and the rest of the head and throat is white. The horns of the male rise directly above the head then hook sharply back at the tips. The female also has horns, which although slimmer than the male's, can be longer. The female is smaller than the male. The hooves of the chamois are excellent for gripping slippery rock. (Nowak, 1999)

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• homoiothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• male larger
• sexes shaped differently
• ornamentation ornamentation

Development

See Reproduction.

Reproduction

Males are generally solitary except during the breeding season. They join herds during the late summer. Older males are known to force younger males from the herd, and sometimes have killed them (Nowak, 1999). It is likely that breeding is polygynous.

• Mating System
• polygynous polygynous

After a gestation period of 170 days, kids are born in May and June in a shelter of grass and lichens. There is usually only one kid born to a female, but twins and triplets sometimes occur. Young weigh 2 o 3kg each and are weaned after 2 to 3 months. The precocial kids are able to follow their mother almost immediately after they are born and they rapidly improve their leaping ability within the first few days of life. If a mother is killed, other chamois take care of the young. Young males stay with the mother's group until they are 2 to 3 years old and then live nomadically until they are fully mature at 8 to 9 years, when they become attached to a definite area. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 2.5 years in females and 3.5 to 4 years in males. (Nowak, 1999; Huffman, 1999)

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• seasonal breeding seasonal breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• fertilization fertilization
  • internal internal
• viviparous viviparous

Young are precocial and able to follow their mother shortly after birth. The mother produces milk for the young, and nurses them for 2-3 months. Should the mother be killed, other chamois will care for the young. (Nowak, 1999)

• Parental Investment
• altricial altricial
• female parental care female parental care
• post-independence association with parents

Lifespan/Longevity

The lifespan of the chamois ranges from 14-22 years. (Huffman, 1999)

Behavior

Females and young males are gregarious, while adult males are solitary and aggressive in the rutting season. These breeding males drive younger males away from the maternal herds, occasionally killing them. The majority of females are philopatric whereas males have a relatively high dispersal rate. Chamois announce danger with a whistling sound and foot stamping. When alarmed, these animals flee to the most innaccessible places, often making prodigous leaps. They can jump almost 2 meters in height and at least 6 meters in length, and can run at speeds of 50 km/hr on uneven ground. R. rupicapra is primarily diurnal, and mates in the period between the end of October and December. Offspring are born in May-June. (Loison, 1999; Huffman, 1999; Nowak, 1999)

• Key Behaviors
• motile motile
• solitary solitary
• social social
• dominance hierarchies dominance hierarchies

Communication and Perception

• Perception Channels
• tactile tactile
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

During the summer months the diet consists chiefly of herbs and flowers, but in winter the chamois eats lichens, mosses, and young pine shoots. It has been known to fast for two weeks and survive when the snow is so deep that food can not be found. (Nowak, 1999)

• Primary Diet
• herbivore herbivore
  • folivore folivore

• Plant Foods
• leaves
• flowers
• bryophytes
• lichens

Predation

Eurasian lynx and wolves are the main predator of the chamois. (Gortazar, 2000). They are also hunted by humans. When alarmed, these animals flee to inaccesible locations. They can travel at speeds of up to 50 km per hour. They can jump 2 meters into the air, and a distance of up to 6 meters. (Nowak, 1999)

Ecosystem Roles

This species provides food for two interesting predators, the eurasian lynx and the wolf. As a grazer, it also affects the plant community within its habitat.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

The meat of chamois is considered a prized food by some people. The skin is made into chamois (pronounces "shammy") leather for cleaning glass and polishing automobiles. The winter hair from the back is used to make the "gamsbart," the brush of Tyrelean hats. Chamois also bring increased tourism through hunting. (Nowak, 1999, Gortazar 2000)

• Positive Impacts
• food food
• ecotourism ecotourism

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Chamois compete with domestic sheep for grazing. (Gortazar, 2000)

Conservation Status

In the Caucasus Mountains, Tatra Mountains that run along the border of Poland and Slovakia, and in Massif de la Chartreuse in South Eastern France, excessive hunting, loss of habitat, competition with livestock, and harassment by people and dogs have greatly reduced the number of chamois. Otherwise, chamois now are generally increasing in number and have been introduced and reintroduced in various parts of Europe. Population in Europe is about 400,000. (Nowak 1999)

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Dan Gunderson (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Chris Yahnke (editor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

References

Gortazar, C., J. Herrero, R. Villafuerte, J. Marco. 2000. Historical examination of the status of large mammals in Aragon, Spain. Mammalia , 64: 411-422.

Grzimek, B. 1990. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals . New York. Vol. 5 pp 495-499: McGraw-Hill.

Huffman, B. 1999. "The Ultimate Ungulate Page: Chamois" (On-line). Accessed October 13, 2001 at http://www.ultimateungulate.com/chamois.html .

Loison, A., J. Jullien, P. Menaut. 1999. Subpopulation structure and dispersal in two populations of chamois. Journal of Mammalogy , 80: 620-632.

Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World . Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.