Leaving your own tracks in the snow, escaping the crowds and experiencing the beauty of nature. Winter sports are changing: more and more people are enjoying winter off-piste, be it freeriding, snowshoeing or on a ski tour. Crowded ski resorts and the feeling of adventure and freedom entice people to look for areas away from the regular slopes and explore previously untouched regions on their own routes.

In doing so, however, they are getting further and further into the habitat of local wildlife. The desire for solitude can have serious consequences for wildlife, which is already struggling with the difficult winter conditions. In the cold season, there is hardly any food and only a few bright hours are available to look for it. Maintaining body temperature also requires a lot of energy. Saving energy is therefore a matter of life and death for mountain birds such as black grouse, capercaillie and rock ptarmigan, which are also among the priority species for species promotion.

If animals are startled by freeriders or snowshoers, they waste their energy fleeing or have less time for foraging. Disturbances also increase the level of stress hormones, which can have a negative impact on breeding success. A disturbance is not always obvious: birds are often stressed long before they decide to flee and we discover them.

To enjoy nature respectfully, a few simple rules should therefore be observed. It is important to respect wildlife rest zones and game reserves, to stay on marked trails and to stick to designated routes. Furthermore, dogs should be kept on a leash and forest edges and snow-free areas should be avoided, as these are particularly sensitive zones used for foraging.

BASED ON AVS