Chamois << SHAM ee >> is a shy animal noted for its swiftness and keen sense of smell. It is often called a goat antelope, but it looks a little more like a goat than an antelope. The chamois lives in the high mountains of Europe and western Asia, and was once common in the Swiss Alps. In summer, the chamois lives in alpine meadows and the snowy parts of the mountains. In winter, it goes down to the forests.
The chamois stands about 30 inches (76 centimeters) high at the shoulder and weighs about 80 pounds (36 kilograms). It is reddish-brown with a black tail. The fur changes to a dark brown in the winter. Its head is a pale yellow with a black band around the eyes from the nose to the ears. Both the males and females have smooth, black horns about 7 inches (18 centimeters) long. The horns grow straight up and curve backward into a sharp hook at the tip. The longest chamois horns ever found were 123/4 inches (32.4 centimeters) long.
It is difficult to hunt chamois because the animals are so light and quick that they can easily jump across a wide ravine. Chamois live in bands of about 10 to 15 animals. The flesh of the chamois is good food, but the skin is the animal’s most valuable part. The skin is used to make the soft, warm leather called chamois skin. Much sheepskin is sold as chamois skin.
