Chamois Population Census in High Tatras Breaks Records

Tatranska Lomnica, November 3 (TASR) – Even seasoned zoologists were surprised to see the record-breaking results of a chamois population census in the High Tatras, as they had expected an annual decline due to a severe winter last year, Martina Petranova from the Tatra National Park (TANAP) State Forests told TASR on Saturday.

The recent census found 1,431 chamois in TANAP’s areas, a number that even exceeded the previous record of 1,389 from 2014.

A total of 1,010 chamois (including 75 cubs) were registered on the Slovak side of the High Tatras, while the recorded number of chamois on the Polish side of the mountains has exceeded the threshold of 400 for the first time ever (421, including 46 cubs).

According to Petranova, the zoologists were hesitant to believe the figures at first. “Just to make the things sure, we several times re-checked the registers, but the result held,” said TANAP zoologist Jozef Hybler, adding that nice weather during the census helped to get fairly exact figures of the chamois population.

TANAP has been carrying out semi-annual chamois censuses in the High Tatras for almost seven decades.