Chamois - Chamois (English spelling)

It is an animal of the order Artiodactyla, family Bovidae, class Mammalia. It is found in the Pyrenees, Alps, and Apennine mountain ranges in Europe, as well as in the mountains of Turkey and the Caucasus. It is closely related to the Japanese serow and the Himalayan serow. Its body shape is similar to that of a goat, with a body length of 90 to 130 cm and shoulder height of 70 to 85 cm. Both males and females have horns that are about 15 to 20 cm long, black, and curved backwards in a hook shape. In Switzerland, these horns are used to hold hiking walking sticks. It does not have a parotid gland, but has secretory glands at the back of its horns that swell during the breeding season. Its fur grows to a length of 4 cm in summer and 10 to 20 cm in winter, adapting to the climate. Its body color is yellowish brown in summer and a camouflage black-brown in winter. It is adapted to life on rocky mountain areas and is quick in its movements. It lives in groups of about 15 to 30 individuals. In winter, they live in forest areas in search of food, but in summer, they climb to altitudes of over 4,000 meters. Their diet consists of grass, leaves, and young branches. They mate in the fall, and give birth to one or two babies around May or June of the following year. The gestation period is about six months. They are also known as Swiss antelopes, Swiss serows, and Alpine serows.

[Masanobu Kitahara]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

哺乳(ほにゅう)綱偶蹄(ぐうてい)目ウシ科の動物。ヨーロッパのピレネー、アルプス、アペニンの各山脈およびトルコ、カフカスの山地に分布する。日本のカモシカやヒマラヤのシーローに近縁である。体形はヤギに似て体長90～130センチメートル、肩高70～85センチメートル、角(つの)は雌雄ともにあり15～20センチメートルほど、黒色で鉤(かぎ)状に後方へ曲がる。スイスでは登山用ステッキの握りにこの角を用いる。眼下腺(せん)はないが、角の後方に分泌腺があり繁殖期に膨れる。被毛は夏季に長さ4センチメートル、冬季には10～20センチメートルになり気候に順応する。体色も夏は黄褐色、冬は保護色の黒褐色となる。山岳地帯の岩場の生活に適応し、動作はすばやい。15～30頭ぐらいの集団で生活する。冬は餌(えさ)を求めて森林地帯にすむが、夏は4000メートル以上の高所に登る。食物は草、樹葉、若枝などである。交尾期は秋で、翌年の5～6月ごろ1産1～2子を産む。妊娠期間約6か月。別名をスイスレイヨウ、スイスカモシカ、アルプスカモシカなどという。

［北原正宣］

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