Help Us Advance International Research - Have you hunted/seen a chamois with horn rot?
The NZDA Board is proud to support a groundbreaking international research project investigating Chamois Horn Rot—a condition affecting the horn structure of chamois in New Zealand and alpine regions abroad.
Led by Francesco Formisano, the project brings together experts from France, Italy, and New Zealand to examine the environmental and epidemiological causes of this little-understood issue. The study uses a citizen science approach, relying on hunters and conservationists to collect field data and report observations. See the full project overview here.
Horn rot has been noted in New Zealand since the 1990s, yet its causes and effects remain unclear. The research team aims to identify contributing factors and determine whether a pathogen may be responsible. The results will have practical implications for herd health, trophy quality, and long-term game animal management.
We’re calling on all chamois hunters to take part in the online survey and contribute to this important work. Your field observations could be the key to understanding and managing this disease across alpine environments.
Take the survey below and help shape the future of mountain ungulate research. COMPLETE THE SURVEY NOW.
Photographed: Examples of horn rot in chamois.
Complete the Survey
The aim of the survey is to report information on chamois with horn rot present.
This can be either:
- a hunted chamois
- a chamois found dead
- a chamois trophy in your possession
- a sighting (only if accompanied by photographic documentation)
Photographed: Examples of horn rot in chamois.