4OntheTrail

Italy’s crown jewel among its protected areasis the stunning and yet accessible mountain

kingdom of the ibex, alpine chamois and endangered bearded vulture

HEREGOOGLE EARTH COORDINATES HERE

Italy’s crown jewel among its protected areas is the stunning and yet accessible mountain

kingdom of the ibex, alpine chamois and endangered bearded vulture

FOUR SEASONSIN PARADISE

GRAN PARADISO NATIONAL PARK

FOUR SEASONSIN PARADISE

GRAN PARADISO NATIONAL PARK

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Alpine ibexCapra ibex. On the openingspread a clump ofAlpine anemoneAnemonepulsatilla in bloomagainst the scenicbackground of theLago del Serrù.

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TEXT BY ANDREA FERRARI and LUCA GIORDANOPHOTOS BY ANDREA & ANTONELLA FERRARI

at a relatively low cost, enabling us tofully document its dazzling beautyduring the coming and going of fourseasons. From quiet, warm, sunnyalpine meadows in summertime to icy,blizzard-blasted steep mountain slopesin winter, we were able to witness theNational Park’s spectacularlandscapes and wonderful fauna in avariety of conditions. And the GranParadiso truly is a stunning destination- easily reached, comfortable to stay at,easily and safely trekked around,devoid of dangerous animals,seasonally greatly different and almostdeserted of visitors at some times, and

taly, the Country where we live,is rightly famous worldwide for manyreasons such as art, history, food andculture - but sadly wildlife is not one ofthem. However, at the very least two ofits National Parks deserve globalrecognition and world-class status: theAbruzzi and the Gran Paradiso, whichis the subject of this issue’s On the Trailstory. This spectacular alpine area sitedon the North-West precipitousmountain border between Italy andFrance is just a few hours’ driving fromour place, so this offered us the uniqueopportunity to visit i t on severaloccasions at different times of the year

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Alpine marmotMarmota marmotakeeping watch ina summer, flower-studded mountainmeadow.

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AlpinebuttercupsRanunculusmontanusin bloom on theslopes above Lago del Serrù,Ceresole Reale.

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last but not least easily photographed.Its wildlife is supremely confident dueto its long - and lately peaceful -interaction with the human inhabitantsof the mountain valleys, and if thenumber of species which can besighted during the average visit is notexceedingly high, the ease ofapproaching most of the animals morethan makes up for that. Add to thePark’s assets exceedingly comfortableaccomodation at every valley village,impeccably maintained and wellmapped-out mountain trails and anabundance of mouth-watering food,and you’ll see why the Gran Paradisoreally deserves the legendaryreputation it enjoys at home and why itreally should get more visitors fromabroad. Wildlife photographer andGran Paradiso specialist LucaGiordano - who has been our guideduring our visits to the Park - gives usmore details: “Turn after turn, the roadclimbs sinuous and steep. Warningsigns on the sides of the road indicatethe possible, sudden crossing of wildanimals, inviting the driver to maintaina reduced cruising speed. Finally thelit t le vil lage of Cogne, with itscharming wooden houses withcharacteristic slate roofs, is now insight. We just reached the true heart ofthe Gran Paradiso National Park,

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Soaring subadultbearded vulture or LammergeyerGypaetusbarbatus.

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Alpine marmotMarmota marmotabasking by theirburrow entranceon a mountainmeadow.

Ermine or Stoat stoatMustela erminea in

summer livery (photo byLuca Giordano).

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established in 1922 as the oldest ItalianNational Park. However, the history ofthis incredible protected area, whichcovers five different valleys of Piedmontand Aosta Valley, began many yearsbefore, at the time of “The HunterKing". This nickname, that theinhabitants of the mountains gave toItalian king Vittorio Emanuele II, leavesno doubt about the activities that HisMajesty enjoyed the most, when hecame to visit these mountains. In fact,from the second half of the 1800s, inlove with this wild corner of nature, theking visited the Royal Hunting Reservethat he established in this area severaltimes, in order to collect trophies that hethen used to decorate the opulent roomsof his fortresses. Even today, in themagnificent castle of Sarre, it is stillpossible to admire thousands of alpineibex’s horns hanging on the walls,lifeless memories of those ancientdeeds.

FROM HUNTINGRESERVE TO PARK

Fortunately for the ibex, those difficultt imes are gone and the splendidungulate, now protected by strict

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Left, Alpineibex Capra ibex;right top,a rare migrant inmid-flight, theGriffon vultureGyps fulvus; right bottom,Alpine chaffinchMontifringillanivalis.

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Alpine meadows insummer offer a dazzlingflowerbeds display: herewhite Alpine anemone

Anemone pulsatilla in theforeground, with yellow

Alpine buttercupRanunculus montanus andblue Gentian Gentiana

verna in the background.

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Alpine marmotMarmota marmota.

legislation, has become the undisputedsymbol of the Gran Paradiso NationalPark. Never theless, it would bedangerous to lower the guard: invarious circumstances over thecenturies, in fact, ibexes have foundthemselves on the verge of extinction.The low genetic variabili tycharacterising the population andresulting from these continuousdemographic collapses, obligesresearchers to keep monitoring thisunique species: the sudden andunexpected appearance of acontagious disease with a highmortality rate could in fact jeopardizethe survival of the species. A censuscarried out in 2013 within the GranParadiso revealed the presence of3,000 individuals. A considerablenumber, but if we compare the data tothe one collected in 1993, when 5,000ibexes were counted, we can’t stopasking ourselves the reasons behind thethinning that occurred over the last twodecades. There are many theories

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Left, a subadultAlpine ibexCapra ibexdemonstrates itsunique prowessas a mountainclimber; right, melting ice insummertimeoriginating ascenic waterfall.

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A bachelor group ofAlpine ibex Capra ibex

resting in the sun insummertime.

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Far left, adult maleAlpine ibex Capra ibex;left, subadultBearded vulture or LammergeyerGypaetusbarbatus.

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trying to provide an explanation for thisumpteenth decline, but apparently themost accredited one is linked to climatechange. A marked decrease in thewinter survival rate of the cubs seems tobe at the base of the problem. At theend of June, when the small ibexes areborn, the grass they feed on has moreand more often been exposed to thelight of the sun for too many weeks, dueto a lack of snow cover. The reducedquality of this scorched forage does notallow the baby ibexes to accumulatethe energy they need to face the cold,freezing winter, which more and moreoften kills them before they reach theirfirst year. The sexual dimorphism inalpine ibexes is very evident: whileadult males can weigh up to 120kilograms, females rarely exceed 40.Moreover, while the horns of femalespecimens appear thin and notparticularly developed, those of malesassume a pronounced curvature andcan reach a meter in length. Like allgoats, ibexes are endowed with hollowand perennial horns, which keepgrowing every year thanks to theproduction of new tissue at the base.This process is usually interrupted inSeptember by the action of hormones,that cause the appearance of growthrings on the horns of the animals,revealing each individual’s age.

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Red fox Vulpes vulpesin summertime (photo by LucaGiordano).

18Alpine marmotMarmota marmotaby the entrance of its burrow on a mountainmeadow.

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Spectacular alpinelakes come back to lifeduring summer thaws

with the melting of ice and snow at the

Pian del Nivolet.

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Rana temporaria inamplexus; top right, ascenic mountain vista.Bottom right, Beardedvulture or LammergeyerGypaetus barbatus; bottom left, the roaringwaterfall of Noasca in summertime.

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In summertime the alpineheights of the Gran ParadisoNational Park offerspectacular panoramas.

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KING OF THE ROCKY SLOPES

Another fascinating ungulate sharesibex’s habitat, contending for the rankof king of the crags. We are talkingabout the Alpine chamois, forged bymillions of years of evolution to becomethe lord of the rocks, a perfect climbingmachine. Each of its limbs is providedwith two fingers covered with a hoof,an extraordinary climbing tool with anouter ridge and a fleshy pad thatensures perfect adherence to theground. Two more fingers called spurs,now regressed, are also essential tomake the chamois move confidently onvertical rock faces. The speed and theconfidence with which this ungulatemoves, however, is not only related tothe peculiar characteristics of its paws.In fact, also the circulatory system playsa prominent role in this sense. The redblood cells of these animals, twice asnumerous as those found in humanblood, allow them to sustain suddenand incredible efforts even at highaltitudes, where oxygen is scarce.

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Alpine chamoisRupicapra rupicapra inthe first colors of autumn.

23Top left, Black RedstartPhoenicurus ocruros;

top right, Eurasian wrenTroglodytes troglodytes;

bottom right, Golden eagleAquila chrysaetos;

bottom left, Alpine chamoisRupicapra rupicapra.

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A VARIETY OF SPECIES

30 other species of mammals, as wellas 101 species of birds, share withibexes and chamois the daily strugglefor life in the Gran Paradiso NationalPark, that becomes a particularly harshhabitat during the winter season.While ibexes and chamois contrast thelow temperatures by changing theirthin summer coat with a thicker anddarker one which helps them retain thewarmth of the sun, the Ermine stoat, theMountain hare and the Rockptarmigan, thanks to a surprisingchange of colour, become almosttotally white, trying to bettercamouflage in the surroundingenvironment now dominated by ablinding coating of snow.

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In late summer andearly autumn the Gran

Paradiso mountain massifoffers colorful, dramatic

opportunities to thelandscape photographer.

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Alpine chamoisRupicaprarubicaprain a typicallycolorful autumnlandscape.

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Far left and left,dazzling autumnalcolors andpatterns; right,Red or EurasianRed squirrelSciurus vulgaris.

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Truly giganticglaciers are foundat altitude -compare to the size of themountain hut atthe lower leftcorner forreference.

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Left, a fullymature and quiteimposing maleAlpine ibex Capraibex in autumn; right, one of themany waterfallscascading downthe steep mountainslopes in latesummer and early autumn.

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OF MOUNTAINS AND MARMOTS

The case of the Alpine marmot isdifferent. During the coldest months thislarge rodent hibernates, graduallyconsuming the fat deposits stored insummer. Marmots are the largestItalian representatives of the Sciuridaefamily, which in Italy includes anothernative member only: the Red squirrel.Marmots live in family groups andnever move too far away from theirunderground burrows, which representa perfect escape from predators suchas the Golden eagle. The hypogeumshelters used by marmots in summerare shallow and provided with manyentrances, while the winter ones arecharacterized by a single long accesstunnel that leads to a spacious room,where thick layers of hay act as anatural thermal insulator. During winterseason marmots are able to decreasetheir body temperature from 35 to 5degrees Celsius and to reduce theirheart rhythm from 130 to 15 beats perminute. An extraordinary adaptation,which allows them to waste as littleenergy as possible and to wait for thearrival of spring without having to feed.Anyway, dangers for marmots do notarrive just from the sky. Anotherpredator walks around the mountainsin search for a inattentive marmot, butit has no curved bill or long claws. Ithas triangular ears, capable of pickingup the most subdued of noises, a nose

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The Red orEurasian red squirrelSciurus vulgaris is afast-moving, shy,very active anddifficult subject to

photograph.

30Late summer andearly autumn are the best

times of the year forlandscape photographyin the Gran Paradiso.

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with an extraordinary sense of smelland bright eyes capable of seeing inthe thickest darkness, instead. We aretalking about the Red fox, a small,agile and adaptable animal, that hasall the necessary skills to survive on theItalian Alps, where urbanisation andboth climate and geomorphologicalharsh conditions leave no much spacefor large specialized carnivores, suchas the bear and the wolf. The fox's dietincludes small mammals, birds,carrions, invertebrates and fruit:never theless, this omnivorousopportunist does not disdain tosupplement its diet with anything it isable to find inside the trash bins or withthe unhealthy food provided byunwary tourists.

Alpine chamoisRupicapra rupicapra.

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32Alpine chamois

Rupicapra rupicaprabetween two images ofthe stunning autumnallandscapes offered bythe Gran Paradiso.

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The Devil in theWoods - a maleAlpine ibex Capraibex must havebeen an almostsupernatural sight to mountainvillagers in ancient times.

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PEOPLE MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

Luckily for the foxes, there are actuallypeople who spend their working daystrying to help them not to get badhabits like these. Under dark greenjacket, often slightly hunched by theweight of the backpack, the 58 guardsof the Gran Paradiso National Parkwalk around 71,000 hectares ofterritory monitoring the animals andpromoting useful public education. Felice Berthod was among the first whodedicated their lives to this delicate andimportant role. Once a poacher, hejoined the team of guards under themanagement of the illuminated directorVidesott, finding his own personalredemption and the inner peace that ayouth of war and deprivation had notallowed him to discover before.Although the tools supplied to themodern guards are much moresophisticated than those of the past anddespite the fact that long nights chasinghunters are not on the agenda anymore, the passion of the former guardsstill lives in the new levers. They live outthere on the field, regardless of thesnow, the rain, the wind or the burningsun, protecting this natural jewel of theAlps in order to give us the opportunityto enjoy its colours and its uniquebiodiversity in all the four seasons”. .

Left, a beautiful latesummer waterfall;right, an Alpine ibexCapra ibex shows itsprowess as a mountainclimber negotiatingwith ease an almostvertical slope.

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Ice-clad mountainmassifs are bathed

in pink at dawn. This is a view from the small

village of Cogne.

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Left, Alpinechamois Rupicaprarupicapra. Right,waterfall in earlyautumn, before thefreezing cold ofwinter sets in.

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Adult maleEuropean roe deerCapreolus capreolus

in velvet, at the comingof winter and

the first snowfalls.

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Alpine choughPyrrhocorax graculus in winter

landscape, Valle dell’Orco,Gran Paradiso National Park.

Left, thespectacular sightoffered by icedwaterfalls inwinter time;right, theremains of anAlpine chamoisRupicaprarupicapra haveprovided much-needednourishment to Red foxes,Bearded vulturesand probablywolves.

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The Bearded vulture orLammergeyer Gypaetus

barbatus is a gigantic andsadly severely endangered

bird. It has been successfullyreintroduced in the Park

where three-four pairs arecurrently residing.

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Alpine chamoisRupicapra rupicapra in a

crisp winter landscape.

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Severe snow blizzardsoccur very often in winter,

and the risk of dangerouslyblinding white-outs is always

present when trekking, as thisimage of an Alpine chamois

Rupicapra rupicaprain a snowfall clearly shows.

43Iced-up, snow-clad landscapeshave a magicalatmosphere aboutthem in the GranParadiso valleys.

44Top left, Ermine or

Stoat Mustelaerminea in wintercoat (photo by Luca Giordano); top right, Rock partridgeAlectoris graeca; bottom right,European roe deer Capreolus capreolus; bottom left, Alpine choughPyrrhocoraxgraculus.

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A beautifulportrait of a Red fox Vulpes vulpesin a snowy winterlandscape (photoby Luca Giordano).

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Trekking and photographing inwinter requires the use of

snowshoes to negotiate thesnow-covered terrain.

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Alpine chamois Rupicapra rupicapra

in a peaceful winterlandscape.

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Visiting the GranParadiso duringwinter offersstunning vistas and wonderfullandscapephotographicopportunities.

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Left, Alpinechamois Rupicaprarupicapra grazingin a blizzard;right, the majesticsnow-clad peaks ofthe Gran ParadisoNational ParkAlps.

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Alpine choughPyrrhocoraxgraculus feedingon ibex carcass inwinter landscape,Valle dell’Orco.Winter is anextremely harshtime for ibex andchamois, andmany fall victims to ruinous falls or avalanches.

Left, Alpinechamois Rupicaprarupicapra; right,the beautiful sightoffered by icedwaterfalls in winter time.

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52Spruce forest in a snowfall, Gran ParadisoNational Park.

53Alpine chamois Rupicapra

rupicapra under a snowfall;right, photographinganother individual on asunny winter day. Notice the use of snowshoes, anecessity in deep snow.

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Left, winterlandscape; right,

Alpine chamoisRupicapra rupicapraon a mountain slope

during a blizzard.

Avalanchesand snowslides present a

constant danger to trekkers onsunny winter days, and one

has to keep a careful eye onthe coming day’s atmospheric

conditions and weatherforecasts.

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