Chamois are a type of antelope that resemble goats. They are often considered related to the goat family, similar to mountain goats, and they are native to southern Europe. They are agile climbers with brown fur for most of the year, but their fur changes with the seasons, becoming grayish-brown in the summer and dark, almost black, in the winter. Both males and females have slim, curved horns that form a hook-like shape at the top, but male horns are usually longer than those of females.
Seeing the chamois was a really fun and amusing experience. As chamois are shy and quirky, it was interesting to watch them make sounds like goats and run away when we got too close. We played around with them, and it was so entertaining. Usually when I see unique animals like chamois, it's in a zoo, not in the wild, so it was exciting and rewarding to see them up close, especially after a long hike up the mountains of Lauterbrunnen.
Chamois are mostly found in the mountains of Europe, such as the Swiss Alps. We could clearly see by watching them that they are agile climbers, so it's easy to picture how they would thrive in these areas, enjoying rocky slopes and cliffs where they can easily move and climb. When we saw them, it was clear that they enjoy these rough environments and their physique allows them to do so. Thanks to their thick fur, they thrive in the cold climates.
