Wildlife protection at Chäserrugg

With its completely white plumage in winter, the Alpine ptarmigan is exceptionally well camouflaged. As a result, it is rarely seen, although its rasping calls can often be heard throughout the mountain landscape.

At night, and sometimes even during the day, the Alpine ptarmigan burrows into the snow. While resting there, it digests its food, and the snow provides insulation and protection. This gives the bird a chance to conserve energy and absorb vital nutrients.

However, it can detect vibrations from approaching people at a distance of up to 300 metres and will flee from its snow shelter. This interrupts the bird’s digestion, an essential process for its survival, and causes it to expend additional energy in escape. This is why wildlife protection zones are particularly important for the Alpine ptarmigan.

During the winter months, red deer enter a state of energy conservation known as torpor. Similar to hibernation, this state allows the deer to reduce its heart rate by up to 60%. Its body temperature also decreases, helping it conserve valuable energy.

To enter and maintain this state, however, the red deer must feel safe and undisturbed. If it is repeatedly disturbed by winter sports enthusiasts, it cannot reach this essential state of rest and must use additional energy to flee. As food sources are limited during winter, repeated flight responses can have serious consequences for the animal.

Tracks can reveal whether a deer has been forced to flee: the imprint of the dewclaws only becomes visible in the tracks of a running red deer. This is why wildlife protection zones are so important for red deer.

The chamois can often be found near the tree line. During the winter months, its coat becomes darker and thicker, providing better insulation against the cold and allowing it to absorb more warmth from the sun. At this time of year, chamois also move over shorter distances and live within smaller home ranges. These are often located on steep slopes with a south-easterly to south-westerly aspect, where sunshine is plentiful. As a result, there is usually less snow in these areas, making it easier for the animals to access food.

To conserve energy, the chamois reduces the size of its rumen, the first chamber of its stomach. However, because food is scarce during winter, it must still spend a large part of the day foraging. The rest of the time, it rests in sunny or sheltered locations to save additional energy. If it has to flee from winter sports enthusiasts, especially through deep snow, it expends valuable extra energy. This is why wildlife quiet zones are so important for the chamois.