The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is extremely nimble. It can leap and bound, upwards and sideways, at speeds of 50kph on the rockiest of terrain in order to escape its main predators: lynx, wolf and man. When threatened it makes for the most inaccessible spot. This cannot protect it completely from hunters' bullets but it does make recovery of the body difficult, a deterrent in itself. Chamois skin has been used for hat-making for centuries. Stripped of its hair, the soft hide becomes 'chammy leather' for cleaning windows and cars. In winter chamois gather in large groups but stags lead a solitary life, quitting their hideouts in early September to fight other stags for the right to breed.
