The species is found in alpine meadows, rocky areas, forested valleys and lower slopes in mountainous regions. It generally stays above 1,800 m in alpine meadows during the warmer months of the year (Corlatti et al. 2022). These animals make seasonal migrations from steep forests in the valley slopes (in winter) to the open alpine meadows in summer (e.g. Corlatti et al. 2022). In recent years, some populations have started to permanently inhabit forests (Herrero et al. 1996). Some Cantabrian populations live at 200 m. Males and females live separately outside the rutting period. Females live in groups of adults with young, while males are more solitary. The rut takes place in November and early December, and females give birth to one young after 160–170 days of gestation (Loison 1995). Longevity is about 20 years (Loison 1995).

Rupicapra pyrenaica is endemic to southwest Europe, where it occurs as three subspecies: Pyrenean Chamois R. p. pyrenaica, Cantabrian Chamois R. p. parva and Apennine Chamois R. p. ornata (Shackleton 1997, Pedrotti and Lovari 1999). The Pyrenean Chamois is found in the Pyrenees, in Andorra, France and Spain. The Cantabrian Chamois occurs in the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain). The Apennine Chamois now survives only in five small to very small populations in the Abruzzo, Maiella, Gran Sasso-Monti dellaLaga and Monti Sibillini National Parks, as well as in the Sirente-Velino Regional Park in Italy, although earlier in the Holocene it ranged from the Sibillini Mountains (Marche Region, Italy) down to the Pollino Massif (Calabria Region, Italy) (Masini 1985, Masini and Lovari 1988). The altitudinal range of the species is 200–3,000 m.

The species is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention and Annex V of the EU Habitats and Species Directive (as part of R. rupicapra sensu lato).

In Spain, the species occurs in several Protected Areas and Game Reserves, including non-huntable areas (Picos de Europa, Ordesa y Monte Perdido and AiguestortesiLlach de SantMaurici National Parks; Larra-Belagoa and Muniellos Nature Reserves); and huntable ones, as Natural Parks (Fuentes del Narcea, Degana e Ibias, Somiedo, Las Ubinas-La Mesa, Ponga, Redes, Alt Pallars-Aran, Posets-Maladeta, Cadi, Los Valles Occidentales); Game Reserves (Los Valles, Viñamala, Los Circos, Benasque, Cerdanya, Cadi, FresserSetcasas, Mampodre, Saja, Somiedo), among others. In France, it occurs in a number of protected areas (Pyrenees National Park, Roc-Blanc, Moudang and Mont-Vallier Mountain Reserves, Orlu National Wildlife Reserve) and other small reserves where hunting is banned. A study of population dynamics is ongoing in France in Orlu and Bazes, epidemiological situation, as well as a detailed survey of the population size and distribution (Richard et al. 2017, Lambert et al. 2018). In France, there is a hunting plan that is designed to correct geographic imbalances in numbers and distribution, but might be difficult to achieve. A major restoration effort was carried out in the French Pyrenees between 1981 and 2000, involving the translocation of more than 600 individuals (Herrero et al. 2004, C. Novoa and C. Berducou pers. comm. 2006). New reintroductions have been carried out in the last years. In Andorra there is a monitoring and a sustainable hunting quota inside and outside reserves.

Apennine Chamois inhabit five separate protected areas. A group of 22 chamois was released in the Majella National Park between 1991 and 1994, and 26 were reintroduced into the Gran Sasso e Monti dellaLaga National Park. Small captive breeding groups have been kept in six large enclosures in five parks. No studbook has been kept, which is a major shortcoming in this captive breeding program (Shackleton 1997). The subspecies is strictly protected under national and international legislation - it is listed on Appendix II of the Bern Convention, Annex II* and Annex IV of the EU Habitats and Species Directive, Appendix II of CITES, and as a “specially protected species” under Italian hunting law. Proposed conservation measures include the following: 1) consider conservation introductions to other protected areas in the central Apennines, once their suitability has been adequately assessed. 2) When selecting individuals for transplants and captive breeding, consider the low genetic variability of this subspecies. This was most likely a result of living at low density for a long time and of population bottlenecks occurring at World Wars I and II. 3) Keep detailed breeding records, genetic profiles, and develop a studbook, for each of the captive breeding populations. 4) Avoid releasing Alpine Chamois into areas of potential (re)introduction of Apennine Chamois as, if such an action was carried out, it would prevent the subsequent release of the latter species (Shackleton 1997).

Future priorities for the species as a whole include extending monitoring of all populations and increasing knowledge of demography, global change and the impact of hunting. It is particularly important that monitoring and research should take place also outside protected areas, i.e. where chamois are hunted.