Common name : Chammy
Scientific name : Rupicapra rupicapra
Family : Bovidae
Native to : Central Europe, Asia and New Zealand
Interesting fact : Hats are adorned with the tuft of hair which grows on the back of the goat, called the ‘gamsbart’.
Conservation status : Protected
The source of fine leather, the chamois is a large mountain goat. Its fur is specially created to counter the cold alpine climate. The chamois are herbivores which feed on alpine grasses, shrubs and bushes. It is man who is the greater threat to its life; hunting it for meat and leather.
