How to observe the wildlife when out hiking?

LISTEN TO NATURE

Any observation begins with a phase of listening to nature. Thanks to these moments of silence, you’ll be better able to spot the wildlife around you and so begin your observation.


SPOTTING THE SIGNS OF THEIR PRESENCE

If your listening phase hasn’t borne fruit, looking for various signs of their presence such as droppings, tracks or even tufts of hair can indicate the existence of any wild animals in the area.

BE CAREFUL OF THE WIND

Mammals have a very good sense of smell, so knowing how to interpret the direction of the wind is essential. If it’s blowing at your back, it’s very likely that your scent will precede you, alerting the animals and causing them to take flight before you even see them.

KNOW THE BEST OBSERVATION TIMES

In summer, animals avoid all activity during hot periods, so we advise you go nature watching during cooler times of the day: from 5.30am to 9.30am in the morning and in the evening from 5pm until nightfall.

KEEP A CERTAIN DISTANCE

If the animal suddenly changes its behaviour, you may be too close. So always keep sufficient distance between the animal and yourself so as not to frighten it, thus preventing it from using up energy unnecessarily to run away.

DON’T FEED WILD ANIMALS

If you’re close enough to an animal to feed it, you’re already going against the previous advice. We don’t recommend you feed wild animals, as this can create a dependence on "human food" in them, which may ultimately reduce their ability to find their food without outside help. Remember: wild animals are unpredictable, so be careful.

LIMITING THE USE OF BIRD CALLS

The use of bird calls makes bird watching much easier. But please use them sparingly, because they can have an impact on the behaviour of birds.

It is made using a small instrument resembling a whistle which reproduces the characteristic bird song. We recommend that you take special care during breeding seasons and times of severe cold when the birds are more fragile and therefore need the utmost peace and quiet to survive.