The secret to the chamois's mountain climbing skill is its hooves. Each hoof has a hard outer rim for gripping rocky edges and a soft, rubbery inner pad that sticks to the rock like the sole of a climbing shoe. The two halves of the hoof can spread apart independently, giving the animal four separate grip points on even the smallest ledge.
In summer, chamois graze near the very tops of mountains, where the air is cool and the grass is fresh. As winter approaches and snow covers the high pastures, they move lower into the forests to find shrubs, bark, and dried grass to eat. They follow the same routes up and down the mountain year after year.
Chamois live in herds led by an experienced female. When she spots danger — a golden eagle overhead, or the distant shape of a lynx on a ridge — she makes a loud, sharp whistle through her nose to warn the herd. Every chamois immediately freezes, then moves together in the direction she leads.
In the rut (the autumn mating season), male chamois chase each other across the mountain slopes at full speed, making spectacular leaps over boulders and gullies. The winners earn the right to lead the herd the following season.