Chamois
The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is a goat-like animal native to the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Gran Sasso region of the central Italian Apennines, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The species was also introduced on the South Island of New Zealand. Chamois are strictly protected animals under the European Habitats Directive.[1]
There are two species of chamois in the genus Rupicapra. In addition to the type species, R. rupicapra, there is the Pyrenean chamois, R. pyrenaica. Chamois are in the subfamily Caprinae of the family Bovidae, along with sheep and goats. The French name chamois comes from Latin camox, a borrowing from Gaulish.
The Dutch name for the chamois is gems. The male is called a gemsbok. In Afrikaans, the term gemsbok came to refer to a species of Subsaharan antelope of the genus Oryx and this meaning has been adopted in English.
Subspecies
- Rupicapra rupicapra (chamois):
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- R. r. tatrica (Tatra chamois): Slovakia (High Tatras, Western Tatras, Belianske Tatras, and Low Tatras) and Poland (High Tatras, Western Tatras)
- R. r. balcanica (Balkan chamois): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, northern Greece (The Pindus Mountains),[2] Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Slovenia
Abruzzo Chamois on the Gran Sasso mountain
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Biology and behaviour
Chamois live at moderately high altitudes and are adapted to living in steep, rugged, rocky terrain. A fully grown chamois reaches a height of about 75 cm (2½ feet) and weighs about 50 kg (110 pounds). Males and females have short horns which are slightly curled in the posterior direction. In summer, the fur has a rich brown colour which turns to a light grey in winter. Distinct characteristics are a white face with pronounced black infraorbital stripes, a white rump and a black dorsal stripe. Chamois can reach an age of up to 20 years.
Female chamois and their young live in herds; adult males tend to live solitarily for most of the year. During the rut (late November/early December in Europe, May in New Zealand), males engage in fierce battles for the attention of unbred females. An impregnated female undergoes a gestation period of 20 weeks, after which a single kid is born. The kid is fully grown by three years of age.
Distribution and habitat
Rupicapra rupicapra carpatica in the Retezat Mountains
New Zealand
Alpine chamois arrived in New Zealand in 1907 as a gift from the Austrian Emperor, Franz Joseph I. The first surviving releases were made in the Aoraki/Mount Cook region and these animals gradually spread over much of the South Island.[3][4] They are often referred to colloquially as "Chamy" (pronounced "shamy").
In New Zealand, hunting of chamois is unrestricted and even encouraged by the Department of Conservation to limit the animal's impact on New Zealand's native alpine flora.[5][4]
New Zealand chamois tend to weigh about 20% less than European individuals of the same age, suggesting that food supplies may be limited.[6]
Chamois on the Piz Beverin mountain, Switzerland
Hunting and wildlife management
As their meat is considered tasty, chamois are popular game animals. Chamois have two traits that are exploited by hunters. The first is that they are most active in the morning and evening when they feed. The second trait is that chamois tend to look for danger from below. This means that a hunter stalking chamois from above is less likely to be observed and more likely to be successful.[7]
The tuft of hair from the back of the neck, the "Gamsbart" (chamois beard), is traditionally worn as a decoration on hats throughout the alpine countries. Treated chamois skin is very smooth and is favored in cleaning and polishing because it produces no streaking.
In Film
In the anime Bleach, Neliel Tu Oderschvank's release phrase is "Chamois".
External links
Extant Artiodactyla species |
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Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Mammalia · Infraclass: Eutheria · Superorder: Laurasiatheria |
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Suborder Ruminantia |
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Antilocapridae |
Antilocapra
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Pronghorn (A. americana)
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Giraffidae |
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Moschidae |
Moschus
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Himalayan Musk Deer (M. chrysogaster) · Siberian Musk Deer (M. moschiferus) · Dwarf Musk Deer (M. berezovskii) · Black Musk Deer (M. fuscus)
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Tragulidae |
Hyemoschus
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Water Chevrotain (H. aquaticus)
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Moschiola
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Indian Spotted Chevrotain (M. meminna) · M. kathygre
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Tragulus
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Java Mouse-deer (T. javanicus) · Lesser Mouse-deer (T. kanchil) · Greater Mouse-deer (T. napu) · Philippine Mouse-deer (T. nigricans) · Vietnam Mouse-deer (T. versicolor) · Williamson's Mouse-deer (T. williamsoni)
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Cervidae |
Large family listed below
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Bovidae |
Large family listed below
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Family Cervidae |
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Muntiacinae |
Muntiacus
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Indian Muntjac (M. muntjak) · Reeves's Muntjac (M. reevesi) · Hairy-fronted Muntjac (M. crinifrons) · Fea's Muntjac (M. feae) · Bornean Yellow Muntjac (M. atherodes) · Roosevelt's muntjac (M. rooseveltorum) · Gongshan muntjac (M. gongshanensis) · Giant Muntjac (M. vuquangensis) · Truong Son Muntjac (M. truongsonensis) · Leaf muntjac (M. putaoensis)
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Elaphodus
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Tufted deer (E. cephalophus)
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Cervinae |
Cervus
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Red Deer (C. elaphus) · Elk (C. canadensis) · Thorold's deer ( C. albirostris) · Sika Deer ( C. nippon) · Barasingha ( C. duvaucelii) · Eld's Deer ( C. eldii) · Sambar Deer ( C. unicolor) · Rusa Deer ( C. timorensis) · Philippine Sambar ( C. mariannus) · Philippine Spotted Deer ( C. alfredi)
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Axis
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Chital (A. axis) · Hog deer (A. porcinus) · Calamian Deer (A. calamianensis) · Bawean Deer (A. kuhlii)
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Elaphurus
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Père David's Deer (E. davidianus)
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Dama
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Fallow Deer (D. dama) · Persian fallow deer (D. mesopotamica)
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Hydropotinae |
Hydropotes
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Water deer (H. inermis)
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Odocoileinae |
Odocoileus
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Blastocerus
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Marsh Deer (B. dichotomus)
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Ozotoceros
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Pampas deer (O. bezoarticus)
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Mazama
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Red Brocket (M. americana) · Merida Brocket (M. bricenii) · Dwarf Brocket (M. chunyi) · Gray Brocket (M. gouazoubira) · Pygmy Brocket (M. nana) · Yucatan Brown Brocket (M. pandora) · Little Red Brocket (M. rufina)
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Pudú
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Northern Pudu (P. mephistophiles) · Pudú (P. pudu)
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Hippocamelus
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Taruca (H. antisensis) · South Andean Deer (H. bisulcus)
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Capreolus
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Roe Deer (C. capreolus) · Siberian Roe Deer (C. pygargus)
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Family Bovidae |
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Cephalophinae |
Cephalophus
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Abbott's Duiker (C. spadix) · Aders' Duiker (C. adersi) · Bay Duiker (C. dorsalis) · Black Duiker (C. niger) · Black-fronted Duiker (C. nigrifrons) · Blue Duiker (C. monticola) · Harvey's Duiker (C. harveyi) · Jentink's Duiker (C. jentinki) · Maxwell's Duiker (C. maxwellii) · Red Forest Duiker (C. natalensis) · Ogilby's Duiker (C. ogilbyi) · Peters's Duiker (C. callipygus) · Red-flanked Duiker (C. rufilatus) · Ruwenzori Duiker (C. rubidis) · Weyns's Duiker (C. weynsi) · White-bellied Duiker (C. leucogaster) · Yellow-backed Duiker (C. Sylvicultor) · Zebra Duiker (C. zebra)
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Sylvicapra
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Common Duiker (S. grimmia)
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Hippotraginae |
Hippotragus
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Roan Antelope (H. equinus) · Sable Antelope (H. niger)
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Oryx
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East African Oryx (O. beisa) · Scimitar Oryx (O. dammah) · Gemsbok (O. gazella) · Arabian Oryx (O. leucoryx)
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Addax
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Addax (A. nasomaculatus)
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Reduncinae |
Kobus
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Upemba Lechwe (K. anselli) · Waterbuck (K. ellipsiprymnus) · Kob (K. kob) · Lechwe (K. leche) · Nile Lechwe (K. megaceros) · Puku (K. vardonii)
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Redunca
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Southern Reedbuck (R. arundinum) · Mountain Reedbuck (R. fulvorufula) · Bohor Reedbuck (R. redunca)
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Aepycerotinae |
Aepyceros
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Impala (A. melampus)
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Peleinae |
Pelea
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Grey Rhebok (P. capreolus)
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Alcelaphinae |
Beatragus
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Hirola (B. hunteri)
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Damaliscus
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Korrigum (D. korrigum) · Common Tsessebe (D. lunatus) · Bontebok (D. pygargus) · Bangweulu Tsessebe (D. superstes)
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Alcelaphus
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Hartebeest (A. buselaphus) · Red Hartebeest (A. caama) · Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (A. lichtensteinii)
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Connochaetes
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Black Wildebeest (C. gnou) · Blue Wildebeest (C. taurinus)
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Pantholopinae |
Pantholops
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Tibetan antelope (P. hodgsonii)
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Caprinae |
Large subfamily listed below
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Bovinae |
Large subfamily listed below
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Antilopinae |
Large subfamily listed below
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Family Bovidae (subfamily Caprinae) |
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Ammotragus
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Barbary Sheep (A. lervia)
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Budorcas
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Takin (B. taxicolor)
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Capra
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Wild Goat (C. aegagrus) · West Caucasian Tur (C. caucasia) · East Caucasian Tur (C. cylindricornis) · Markhor (C. falconeri) · Alpine Ibex (C. ibex) · Nubian Ibex (C. nubiana) · Spanish Ibex (C. pyrenaica) · Siberian Ibex (C. sibirica) · Walia Ibex (C. walie)
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Hemitragus
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Nilgiri Tahr (H. hylocrius) · Arabian Tahr (H. jayakari) · Himalayan Tahr (H. jemlahicus)
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Naemorhedus
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Red Goral (N. baileyi) · Japanese Serow (N. crispus) · Long-tailed Goral (N. caudatus) · Gray Goral (N. goral) · Mainland Serow (N. sumatraensis) · Taiwan Serow (N. swinhoei)
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Oreamnos
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Mountain goat (O. americanus)
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Ovis
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Argali ( O. ammon) · Domestic sheep (O. aries) · Bighorn Sheep ( O. canadensis) · Dall Sheep ( O. dalli) · Mouflon ( O. musimon) · Snow sheep ( O. nivicola) · Urial ( O. orientalis)
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Pseudois
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Bharal (P. nayaur) · Dwarf Blue Sheep (P. schaeferi)
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Rupicapra
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Pyrenean Chamois (R. pyrenaica) · Chamois (R. rupicapra)
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Family Bovidae (subfamily Bovinae) |
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Boselaphini |
Tetracerus
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Four-horned Antelope (T. quadricornis)
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Boselaphus
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Nilgai (B. tragocamelus)
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Bovini |
Bubalus
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Bos
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Pseudonovibos
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Kting Voar (P. spiralis)
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Pseudoryx
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Saola (P. nghetinhensis)
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Syncerus
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African Buffalo (S. caffer)
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Strepsicerotini |
Tragelaphus
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Sitatunga ( T. spekeii) · Nyala ( T. angasii) · Bushbuck ( T. scriptus) · Mountain Nyala ( T. buxtoni) · Lesser Kudu ( T. imberbis) · Greater Kudu ( T. strepsiceros) · Bongo (T. eurycerus)
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Taurotragus
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Common Eland (T. oryx) · Giant Eland (T. derbianus)
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Family Bovidae (subfamily Antilopinae) |
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Antilopini |
Ammodorcas
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Dibatag (A. clarkei)
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Antidorcas
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Springbok (A. marsupialis)
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Antilope
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Blackbuck (A. cervicapra)
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Mountain Gazelle (G. gazella) · Neumann's Gazelle (G. erlangeri) · Speke's Gazelle (G. spekei) · Dorcas Gazelle (G. dorcas) · Saudi Gazelle (G. saudiya) · Chinkara (G. bennettii) · Thomson's Gazelle (G. thomsonii) · Red-fronted Gazelle (G. rufifrons) · Dama Gazelle (G. dama) · Grant's Gazelle (G. granti) · Soemmerring's Gazelle (G. soemmerringii) · Cuvier's Gazelle (G. cuvieri) · Rhim Gazelle (G. leptoceros) · Goitered Gazelle (G. subgutturosa)
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Litocranius
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Gerenuk (L. walleri)
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Procapra
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Mongolian gazelle (P. gutturosa) · Goa (P. picticaudata) · Przewalski's Gazelle (P. przewalskii)
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Saigini |
Pantholops
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Tibetan antelope (P. hodgsonii)
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Saiga
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Saiga Antelope (S. tatarica)
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Neotragini |
Dorcatragus
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Beira (D. megalotis)
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Madoqua
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Günther's Dik-dik (M. guentheri) · Kirk's Dik-dik (M. kirkii) · Silver Dik-dik (M. piacentinii) · Salt's Dik-dik (M. saltiana)
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Neotragus
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Bates's Pygmy Antelope (N. batesi) · Suni (N. moschatus) · Royal Antelope (N. pygmaeus)
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Oreotragus
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Klipspringer (O. oreotragus)
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Ourebia
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Oribi (O. ourebi)
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Raphicerus
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Steenbok (R. campestris) · Cape Grysbok (R. melanotis) · Sharpe's Grysbok (R. sharpei)
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Suborder Suina |
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Suidae |
Babyrousa
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Buru Babirusa (B. babyrussa) · North Sulawesi Babirusa (B. celebensis) · Togian Babirusa (B. togeanensis)
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Hylochoerus
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Giant forest hog (H. meinertzhageni)
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Phacochoerus
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Desert Warthog (P. aethiopicus) · Warthog (P. africanus)
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Porcula
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Pygmy Hog (P. salvania)
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Potamochoerus
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Bushpig (P. larvatus) · Red River Hog (P. porcus)
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Bearded Pig ( S. barbatus) · Indo-chinese Warty Pig ( S. bucculentus) · Visayan Warty Pig ( S. cebifrons) · Celebes Warty Pig ( S. celebensis) · Flores Warty Pig ( S. heureni) · Oliver's Warty Pig ( S. oliveri) · Philippine Warty Pig ( S. philippensis) · Boar (S. scrofa) · Timor Warty Pig ( S. timoriensis) · Javan Pig ( S. verrucosus)
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Tayassuidae |
Tayassu
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White-lipped Peccary (T. pecari)
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Catagonus
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Chacoan Peccary (C. wagneri)
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Pecari
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Collared Peccary (P. tajacu) · Giant Peccary (P. maximus)
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Cetartiodactyla (unranked clade, higher than Artiodactyla) |
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