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Wildlife in the Swiss AlpsWildlife in the Swiss Alps    A highlight of any hike in the Swiss Alps is wildlife viewing. After years of retreat, populations of wild animals are making a comeback in the Alps as a result of protective measures, and no one is better able to show you the wonders of Alpine wildlife than your Alpenwild guide. Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) While hiking in the Alps, and particularly on the Haute Route, be on the lookout for Chamois. The chamois is a goat-like animal found at moderately high elevations throughout the Alps. They are agile climbers and if they sense a threat they can ascend 1000 meters in about 15 minutes. Chamois are easily recognized by their white facial markings and the brown stripe the runs along their backbone.  Ibex (Capra ibex) The Alpine ibex is a mountain goat instantly recognizable by the male’s large scimitar-shaped horns which are ridged in the front. Females grow a pair of smaller, thinner horns which develop considerably more slowly than those of the male. The ibex ranges in height from 27 to 43 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 200 to 270 pounds. Ibex are related to domestic goats and will mate with other goats if they are unable to find a mate in the wild.
Ibex were hunted to extinction in the early 19th century. By 1856 only 60 Alpine ibex remained on a royal hunting reserve in the Grand Paradiso region of Italy. Some of these ibex were smuggled into Switzerland around 1900 in an effort to reinstate ibex in the Swiss Alps. Under protection, there are now over 40,000 ibex in the Swiss Alps.
Ibex are frequently sighted in the most rocky and wild regions of the Swiss Alps along the Haute Route, especially on the Sentier de Chamois in the Upper Val de Bagnes Nature Reserve, and around the Col de Louvie and the Col de Prafleuri. A heard of ibex also roam the rocky slopes above Obersteinberg and are frequently sighted on our Jungfrau Explorer tour. Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) The Red Deer is the predominant deer species in Europe and inhabits the Alps. It is one of the largest deer species, and is larger and generally more majestic than mule deer or whitetail deer found in the US. Generally, the male (stag) Red Deer is typically 41-48 inches high at the shoulders and weighs 350–530 pounds. The female typically weighs in at 264–374 lbs). They are almost always found in a deep forest setting, well below the treeline.
Red deer were extinct in Switzerland by the mid-17th century; however a small population survived in Liechtenstein which migrated to Grison (Graubunden) canton in 1900. Continued protection and migration (plus a lack of natural predators) has resulted in healthy populations of red deer throughout Switzerland today.
Red deer are ocassionally sighted on all Alpenwild hiking tours, including Best of the Alps. On our Engadine Inn-to-Inn tour we often see large herds of 30 or more red deer while hiking in val Trupchun in Swiss National Park Are there bears in the Alps? You won’t find brown bears in the Jungfrau or in Valais where we do most of our hiking. After a brown bear was shot by a hunter in 1904, they were extinct from the Swiss Alps through most of the 20th century. But in recent years bears from the Slovenian Alps have extended their range into Austria, and in 2008 there was a sighting in eastern Switzerland. Given adequate protection, it’s likely that bears will continue to extend their range and possibly even move into other areas of the Swiss Alps where they have long been extinct. Brown bears pose no real threat to hikers. If you ever do see a bear in the Alps, it will probably be on one of our hiking tours in the Engadine. Bear Watch: Wildlife enthusiasts were delighted to report the first bear sighting in over a year on June 23, 2011. A hike spotted and photographed a bear near Swss National Park, just above the village of Susch (a popular lunch stop on our Engadine tour). How about wolves? The last wolf in Switzerland was killed in 1821. While there may be wolves in Swiss National Park, there has not been a wolf sighting in other areas in the Swiss Alps for the past 190 years. In accordance with the National Park's policy of allowing nature to establish a predator/prey relationship, lynx, bears, and wolves are welcome within the park.
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