Chamois hooves are specially designed for mountain life. Each hoof has a hard outer edge that grips rock like a climbing boot, and a soft rubbery inner pad that acts like a suction cup on smooth surfaces. This means they can move across steep cliffs and icy ledges that would be completely impossible for most other animals — or for any human without ropes and equipment.
In summer, chamois graze high up near the mountain tops where the grass is fresh and cool. In winter, they move lower down into the forest to find shelter from blizzards. They live in herds led by an older female, and younger animals learn safe routes through the mountains by following her. The sharp eyes of the herd are always watching for golden eagles, which occasionally try to hunt young chamois.
Chamois have excellent eyesight and can spot a moving object from hundreds of metres away. When one animal in a herd spots danger, it makes a loud sharp whistle to warn the others, and the whole group bolts instantly across the rock. Watching a herd of chamois sprint across a cliff face is one of the most exciting sights in the mountains of Montenegro.