Research, Climate & Disease: New Insights Into the Chamois
- Hans ARC
- Oct 22
- 4 min read
Few wild animals embody alpine life like the chamois. Agile, resilient, and graceful, it has become a symbol of the high mountains. Yet, as new studies show, we still don’t know everything about this “Queen of the Cliffs.”
In recent years, research into the species has accelerated — spanning genetics, climate impacts, and even newly discovered viruses. And in Austria especially, both scientists and hunters are offering valuable insights into what’s changing in our high-altitude ecosystems.
The Genetic Code of the Alpine Chamois
In 2025, researchers achieved a milestone: for the first time, the complete reference genome of the Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) was decoded. The international platform Biodiversity Genomics Europe described it as a “genetic map” that will help us better understand — and protect — mountain populations (Biodiversity Genomics Europe, 2025).
“We can now see how closely individual herds are related and where genetic bottlenecks may occur,”
explains wildlife biologist Luca Corlatti, co-author of a major review on chamois research (Wildlife Biology, 2022).
This is especially significant for Austria, where mountain ranges naturally divide populations. Herds in Carinthia, Tyrol, or the Salzkammergut differ genetically — an insight that has implications for reintroduction efforts, management, and long-term conservation.
Climbing Higher: Climate Pressure in the Alps
Climate change is no longer theoretical — it’s visible on the slopes. Long-term studies confirm that the chamois is moving upward in search of cooler ground.
A Swiss dataset covering over 5,600 yearlings revealed that animals today weigh about three kilograms less on average than they did decades ago (Royal Society Open Science, 2024).
The key period lies between May and July, when young chamois grow and alpine vegetation flourishes. Warmer conditions during this time alter plant composition, reducing nutritional value. The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) reports that chamois are now retreating to “cooler, wind-exposed elevations” to escape the heat (CIC Wildlife, 2024).
In Austria, these changes are already measurable. In regions like the Nockberge and Hohe Tauern, professional hunters observe that herds now roam 200 to 300 meters higher than they did twenty years ago. Meanwhile, red deer and roe deer are pushing upward as well — displacing the chamois from its traditional habitat.
At the Vetmed University Vienna, an interdisciplinary project called “GamsKlimaMensch” is studying this shift using satellite data, GPS collars, and vegetation mapping to understand how chamois behavior and habitat use are changing under climate stress.
Pathogens: Old Enemies, New Threats
When it comes to chamois diseases, one name still dominates: mange — a centuries-old foe responsible for periodic population crashes. Historical records show the first major Austrian outbreak occurred around 1870 in the Maltatal Valley (Carinthia) (Unterköfler et al., 2023). The disease still flares up today — most recently in the Gailtal Alps and along the Tyrolean main ridge.
More recently, scientists have identified a new viral threat: the Alpine Chamois Encephalitis Virus — a previously unknown tick-borne flavivirus discovered by researchers from Vetmeduni Vienna in collaboration with Italian colleagues (Viruses, 2025; PubMed ID 39861911).
It causes neurological symptoms and brain inflammation similar to Louping Ill. Whether it can infect other species is still under investigation.
Another concern: parasites such as Sarcocystis spp., which embed in muscle tissue. A German study found traces in 78%of examined chamois (Parasitologia, 2024). Usually harmless, these findings nonetheless underline how tightly the species is woven into its mountain ecosystem.
Diet, Stress, and Behavior
The impact of the environment on chamois can now be measured — quite literally — through stress hormones in fecal samples.
A study from the University of Trento found that nutrient-rich diets correlate with lower cortisol levels (PubMed, 2023). In other words, good forage soothes not just the stomach, but the mind.
Meanwhile, a paper in Movement Ecology (2024) documented how chamois actively adjust behavior to changing weather: seeking shade during heat and moving to breezy ridges when heat or insects become overwhelming.
Even microbiology adds new layers of understanding. Researchers at the University of Innsbruck analyzed the chamois’ gut flora and found seasonal shifts depending on whether their diet consisted of fresh grasses, herbs, or winter browse (Frontiers in Microbiology, 2023). This delicate microbial balance is key to maintaining both health and fitness.
What It Means for Hunting in Austria
The research paints a clear picture: the chamois ecosystem is becoming increasingly sensitive. And it shows that modern hunting must be guided by knowledge, not just tradition. Today’s mountain hunter should think beyond trophies or quotas — and consider body weight, age structure, parasite load, and habitat dynamics.
Genetic sampling from harvested animals can feed vital data into local biodiversity monitoring. Climate information helps adjust hunting seasons to new vegetation cycles. And health surveillance — in collaboration with institutions like Vetmeduni Vienna — can help prevent disease outbreaks from going unnoticed.
The chamois remains a symbol of wilderness, strength, and adaptation.
But its world is changing — quietly, steadily, and in ways we’re only beginning to grasp.
New research gives us the tools to understand these shifts: from genome sequencing to GPS tracking to virus diagnostics.
If hunting is about responsibility, then with the chamois, it means one thing above all: applying knowledge. Because only those who understand how it lives can ensure it will continue to do so.
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