Chamois

  • The Chamois is a species of mountain goat-antelope. It is part of the Bovidae family which includes sheep and goats.
  • Chamois leather was originally made from the skin of the Chamois, which was famed for its soft and absorbant quality.

Habitat

  • It’s habitat is the mountains of Europe, the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Apennines, the Dinaric Alps, the Carpathian Mountains, the Tatra, the Balkans, the Rita-Rhodope Mountains, The Pindus, the North Eastern Mountains of Turkey, and the Caucasus.
  • Chamois are adapted to rocky terrain, in the summer they live above the tree line, up to 11,800 ft (3,600m).

Lifestyle

  • The females live in herds with their young. The males live alone. The rutting season is between November and December.
  • Their predators are gray wolves, golden eagles and brown bears.
  • To evade their predators, they can run up to 30 mph (50kph), leap 6 feet (1.8m) in the air, jump a 20 feet (2m) gap or climb a rocky cliff.

Chamois Leather

  • Chamois leather, was originally made from the skin of the Chamois, but now it is also made from Goatskin, Sheepskin and lambskin.
  • The leather has a very absorbent quality combined with softness, making it ideal for polishing paintwork or glass surfaces. It is also used for making gloves.
  • Chamois towels are used by sea divers, because they can squeeze them dry between dives.
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