Bouquetin struggle to survive a hard winter
Not so long ago we reported on the release of a number of mountain goats into the Hauts de Chartreuse Nature Reserve as part of an ongoing conservation project.
Now, it seems that in the Cerces region numbers are dwindling following a particularly harsh winter. Rangers from the Ecrins National Park have recorded 70 deaths of bouquetin (also known as ibex) over the winter and have found as many as 50 bodies in recent weeks. Considering the total population in the park was recorded at just 300 in 2008, this is a large proportion of the bouquetin population and is thought to be the highest death rate in 20 years.
The animals appear to have died of hunger due to the harsh conditions of the past 6 months. Veterinarians who examined the bodies noted their emaciated state and surmised that the fat reserves that the bouquetin would have formed in the autumn were sadly insufficient to see them through a hard winter.
This is partially explained by the rise in pastoral farming with sheep and bouquetin having to share whatever vegetation they can find to graze on. The Ecrins National Park is in consultation with local farmers to see if they can come to some sort of solution, perhaps reserving protected winter zones for the bouquetin.
However, the rangers are keen to emphasise that farming is not the sole problem. We have apparently just endured the toughest winter in 25 years. An early snowfall gave way to a thaw which then froze over leaving a thick layer of ice that covered the mountains until late spring, leaving the bouquetin with no way of penetrating through the ice to the grass beneath. The extent of the problem was apparent to park ranger Eric Vannard who explained that it is only the second winter in his career that he has seen bouquetin attempting to scramble up into trees to eat pine needles and small branches!
Another problem that Eric highlights is the intrusion of people into the bouquetin habitat. Whether on foot or on skis, the close proximity of people can cause stress to the animals especially when they are accompanied by dogs that have been known to attack local wildlife. Dogs are not permitted in any part of the Ecrins National Park, regardless of whether or not they are on a lead. Their presence is enough to cause distress to animals and the sound of their bark or the scent of their droppings can disrupt the natural rhythm of native species.
Mountain Riders highlight the problem of irresponsible freeriding when they point out that when a chamois runs 30m in fresh snow it uses up to the equivalent of 8 days of summer food reserves – worth thinking about next time you see a startled beastie legging it for cover!
Source: Le Dauphiné Libéré
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