The Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ) is a goat-antelope that lives in the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains and Apennine Mountains. It is one of the two species of the genus Rupicapra, the other being the chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra.
The Pyrenean chamois is a goat-antelope that lives in the mountains of northwestern Spain. Its summer coat is a ruddy brown; in winter, it is black or brown, with darker patches around the eyes. Both males and females have backward-hooked horns up to 20 cm in length.
Pyrenean chamois are found in the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian Mountains, and the Apennine Mountains. They inhabit rocky areas, alpine meadows, forested valleys, and lower slopes in mountainous regions.
Pyrenean chamois are very agile and can be found on any elevation up to 3000 m. They are active during the day spending their time foraging and resting. Outside of the breeding season males and females live separately. Females and their young live in herds while adult males lead a solitary life for most of the year.
Pyrenean chamois are herbivores. They feed on grasses, herbs, lichens, and buds of trees.
Pyrenean chamois breed in November and early December. After the gestation period of about 170 days, females give birth to a single kid. The young remain near their mothers for 2 to 3 years of age and start to breed when they are 8-9 years old.
Like other species of chamois, the Pyrenean chamois were hunted almost to extinction, especially in the 1940s, for the production of leather. Presently they compete with livestock for food and suffer from changes in climate.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Pyrenean chamois is 50,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are increasing.
