During the rut (late November/early December in Europe, May in New Zealand), males engage in fierce battles for the attention of unmated females.

[5] Chamois eat various types of vegetation, including highland grasses and herbs during the summer and conifers, barks and needles from trees in winter.

[citation needed] Alpine chamois arrived in New Zealand in 1907 as a gift from the Austrian Emperor, Franz Joseph I in exchange for specimens of living ferns, rare birds and lizards.

Albert E. L. Bertling, formerly head keeper of the Zoological Society's Gardens, Regent's Park, London, accepted an invitation from the New Zealand Government to deliver a consignment of chamois (two bucks and six does) to the colony.

From Wellington the chamois were transhipped to the Manaroa and conveyed to Lyttelton, then by rail to Fairlie in South Canterbury and a four-day horse trek to Mount Cook.

The first surviving releases were made in the Aoraki / Mount Cook region and these animals gradually spread over much of the South Island.

[14] The tuft of hair from the back of the neck, the gamsbart (chamois "beard"), is traditionally worn as a decoration on hats throughout the alpine countries.

[citation needed] An artificial fabric known as "chamois" is made variously from cotton flannel, PVA, viscose, and other materials with similar qualities.