CHAMOIS AT MOUNT COOK

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160723, 9 August 1920, Page 5

CHAMOIS AT MOUNT COOK

A FEAT IN ACCLIMATISATION. Tears ago a distinguished Austrian Admiral visited Now Zealand in the Panther, and a. New Zealand Alpine climber got into his good graces by giving him some rare Samoan stamps for his collection. The Admiral was an explorer. and a big game hunter, and he promised the Alpine climber that if he would got some New Zealand birds for tho Emperor's garden at Sehoonbrun, he would in return secure some chamois for the New Zealand Alps. The exchange was duly arranged through tho instrumentality of Mr T. E. Donne, then head of the Tourist Department, and Sir Joseph Ward, Minister in Charge. Tho chamois wore procured with great difficulty in tho mountains of Austria. In capturing such wild animals many were killed, and others had their legs broken through dashing themselves over precipices. There was a great outcry about it iu Austria, and the sporting men there protested, but New Zealand got her chamois. Just before the war the New Zealand Alpine climber ami the Austrian admiral met in Vienna, and the former arranged to s.oud some new blood out to Now Zealand. Iu duo course those chamois also arrived, the late Emperor, Franz Joseph, agreeing to send one of them from his own “Zoo,” at Behocubrun. paragraph in the Tourist Department’s report presented to Parliament states that the chamois have been scon on many parts of the reserve at Mount Cook. Last season herds of between 30 and 40, and as many as 70, were noticed at one time, including many young. The thar, too, have often been seen by parties while on excursions. Twice during the summer a herd of 20 were seen on the Scaly range behind the Hermitage.