Chamois are agile mountain ungulates found across European and Asian mountain ranges. Their welfare is tied to the health of alpine ecosystems and the management of mountain hunting.
Wild chamois welfare is affected by disease epidemics — particularly sarcoptic mange outbreaks that cause intense pruritus and eventually death from immune depletion and hypothermia. Climate change forces chamois into smaller high-altitude refugia during hot summers, increasing heat stress and competition. Trophy hunting when poorly managed removes dominant males and disrupts social structure. Translocation programs used in population management cause acute transport stress. Conservation approaches that balance hunting management with disease monitoring and climate adaptation best protect chamois welfare across their range.