CHAMOIS AT MOUNT COOK.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1920, Page 3

CHAMOIS AT MOUNT COOK.

j A FEAT IN ACCLIMATISATION. 1 i | ; WELLINGTON, Aug 3 j j Years ago a distinguished Austrian Admiral visited New Zealand in the ' ' Panther, and a New Zealand alpine J climber got into his' good graces by I giving him some rare Samoan stamps | for his collection. The Admiral was an I explorer, and a big game hunter, and he promised' the alpine climber that if 1 lie could get some New Zealand birds for the Emperor’s garden at Schoen, brun, he would in return secure some chamois for ’fhe New Zealand Alps. Tile exchange was duly arranged through the instrumentality of Mr T. iv. Donne, then head of the Tourist Department, and Sir Joseph Ward, Minister in charge. The chamois were procured with great difficulty in the mountains of Austria. In capturing such wjld animals ninny were killed, and others had their (egs broken through dashing themselves over precipices. There was a great outcry about it in Austria, and the sporting protested, but New Zealand got her chamois. Just before the war the New Zealand a]pine climber and the Austrian Admiral met in Vienna, and the former arranged to send some now blood out to New Zeal- * and. In due course these chamois also arrived, the late Emperor, Frana Joseph, agreeing to send one of them from his own “Zoo,” at Sehoenbrun. A paragraph in the Tourist Department’s report presented to Parliament ’ to-day states that the chamois have been seen on many parts of the reserve at Mt Cook. Last season herds of be- ' tween 30 and -10. and as many as 70 were noticed at one time, including J* many young. The thar, too. have often been seen by parties while on excursions. Twice during the summer a herd of 20 was seen on the Soafy range belling the Hermitage.