The chamois is a small-to-medium bovid that reach a height of about 30 inches and a length of 42-54 inches. Males are a little larger and can weigh up to 132 pounds, while females only weigh up to 100 pounds.

Both sexes have warm reddish coats in the summer, grey coats in the winter, and thin, black, horns. However, male chamois have thicker horns.

Don’t let their small size fool you, chamois are incredibly agile on rocky, uneven terrain thanks to the elastic pads on their hooves. They have been recorded reaching speeds up to 31 mph and jumping 20 feet vertically into the air!

Chamois are native to places in Europe like the Alps, Turkey, the Pyrenees, etc. The chamois has also been introduced to New Zealand to the South Island. These goats prefer places with high elevations, steep slopes, and rocky terrain like alpine meadows or mountains.

Chamois are mainly active during the day but will occasionally eat at night if the moon is full, offering plenty of light. They are classified as herbivores with a diet of grass, herb, flowers, and more. Chamois tend to eat more grasses and herbs during summer, and more needles and barks during winter. During deep winters, they have been known to fast for weeks when food is scarce.

During winter, males will fight intensely for a female chamois’ attention. After mating, the female will be pregnant for a little over five months and give birth to one, rarely two, kid. The kids stay close to their mothers, drinking their milk for six months. When the kids are two to three years old, the dominant male will kick them out of the herd where they will wander until finding a new dwelling.

The chamois is a type of goat-antelope in the Bovidae family, which includes animals such as cows, buffalos, and other similar species.

Besides humans, the natural predators of the chamois are foxes, bears, wolves, and wildcats.

Female chamois live with their offspring in herds ranging from 15-30 members. Males usually travel and keep to themselves.

If a chamois senses danger, it will make a high-pitched noise and stomp the ground with its hooves to alert the rest of the herd.