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Alpine fauna

Of all alpine mammals the most endearing is the ubiquitous marmot that is seen in practically every district of the Alps, often enjoying the warm sunshine. A sociable furry rodent, the marmot lives in colonies among a range of habitats below the permanent snowline, with burrows excavated in pastures, among rock debris and even alongside busy trails. Growing to the size of a large hare, and weighing as much as 10kg, the marmot spends five or six months of the year in winter hibernation, emerging lean and scruffy in springtime, but soon growing healthy on the summer grasses. The famous shrill whistling sound, given as a warning of danger, is emitted from the back of its throat by an alert adult sitting up on its haunches. Prey to fox and eagle, by September the marmot has accumulated large reserves of fat and begins to prepare its ‘nest’ for the coming winter with a bed of dried grasses; then comes October and it settles into deep hibernation once more.

Chamois are members of the antelope family, characteristically shy of human contact and symbolic of the alpine regions. With short sickle-shaped horns, a white lower jaw and a dark reddish-brown coat in summer bearing a black stripe along the spine, the chamois is fleet-footed and agile. An incomparable sense of smell and acute hearing make them difficult to approach, but when surprised they make a sharp wheezing snort of a warning. During the winter the chamois spends most of the time in forests; the weakest members of a herd often perish, while others are killed by avalanche. As the snows recede, they return to higher altitudes; in May and June moulting takes place, with tufts of hair snagging on rocks and high shrubs, and during the summer months they prefer cool north-facing slopes and snowfields to warm sunny areas.