Before we get into today’s fact I want to make sure everyone knows that we are not doing a Wild Fact on the useful car washing cloth. Well, I guess in a round about way we are since the leather from today’s animal is used to make these special cloths.  The Chamois (pronounced Sham-Wa…..No, not “SHAM-WOW”) has more going for it than just a fancy leather hide and we will learn more as we explore the life of this alpine dwelling goat-antelope!  This particular goat is native to the mountains of Europe so perhaps some of the readers from across the pond can let me know if they have ever seen these intriguing animals.

We aren’t even into the Fact yet and we already know that the Chamois lives in mountainous regions of Europe and has a leather hide that is great for cleaning vehicles.  Let’s continue on and see what else we can learn, shall we? The chamois is a very nimble animal and is able to reach speeds of 50 km/h (30 mph) on rough, uneven ground.  Heck, I had a tough time driving an ATV at these speeds through the mountains.  There is a story here but we will save that for another day!

The males and females of this species lead a different life from one another.  The males tend to be solitary animals that graze on vegetation all alone throughout the year only meeting up with their female counterparts during the mating season.  The females on the other hand prefer the company of each other and form groups composed of several female chamois and young ones.  This strategy offers protection in numbers to the ladies and children.

The chamois is protected by European laws even though they are not considered to be endangered or even threatened.  This proactive approach by the Government to preserve mountainous animals is impressive and the European officials should be commended.

Well, that is all for today folks but don’t worry I will be back tomorrow with the last fact of the week.  Have a great day!