The Alps are one of the last homes of large wildlife in Central Europe. With a little knowledge, patience and the right optics, you can watch ibex, chamois, marmot, golden eagle and even the reintroduced bearded vulture in the wild, without disturbing them.
Which animals you can see
- Ibex & chamois on steep rock faces above the tree line
- Marmot on almost every alpine meadow, often given away by its warning whistle
- Golden eagle & bearded vulture circling over the valleys, with luck at the reintroduction project in the Klausbachtal
- Red deer mainly at dusk along the forest edge
When and where
The best time is twilight in the early morning and in the evening, when most animals are active. An excellent area is the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden, Germany's only alpine national park. Mind the wind direction and stalk with the wind in your face so your scent doesn't go ahead of you.
The optics decide the distance you need to the animal: a bright binocular for the hand, a spotting scope for the long distances on the slope.
Binoculars & spotting scopes → Packing list: wildlife watching →Respect for nature
Watching means holding back. Keep your distance, stay on the trails and respect wildlife refuges, especially in winter when every disturbance costs the animals vital energy. If an animal flees, you were too close. Those who are calm and patient see more in the end.