gems - chamois - rupicapra rupicapra

The chamois is a species of goat antelope that lives in mountainous areas, mostly in Europe. The chamois is a sturdy, nimble animal that has remarkable leaping ability. Its specially adapted hooves have soft elastic soles to keep the animal from slipping. These hooves allow the chamois to grip the steep mountain slopes of its range. During the summer months, herds of chamois wander alpine meadows above 1800 meters feet in home ranges averaging 74 hectares. As winter approaches there is a general downward shift to lower altitudes (below 1,100 meters), where the chamois may enter forested regions, although they remain near steep cliffs. When alarmed, chamois speed to the most inaccessible places, making leaps as high as 2 meters and spanning as much as 6 meters.Extremely nimble and surefooted, the chamois can travel up to 50 kmph over steep or uneven ground. Alarm signals include whistling through the nose, 'sneezing', and stamping their feet. The chamois is a grazer and browser, with a diet that consists mainly of mountain grasses and lichen found on the rocky slopes. In the forest, however, the animal has been known to eat pine needles as well as bark. Visit WWW.STOCKSHOT.NL for highres version or broadcast video footage. More wildlife available!