Every December 11th, we celebrate International Mountain Day! Established in 2003 by the United Nations, its purpose is to highlight the importance of mountains for the health of the planet and the well-being of people, as well as to showcase the diversity of mountain cultures and fauna!

Whether covered in snow or bathed in sunshine, in winter but especially in summer, mountains are increasingly popular. Here are 5 mountain animals that inhabit our mountains, along with some tips on where to find them and how to get to know them!

Where to see free-roaming mountain animals in Italy (and how to respect them)

Whether it's the Marsican Bear in the Apennines or the ibexes and marmots in the Alps, every park or nature reserve offers many opportunities to observe fantastic animals in their original habitat! Here are some possibilities:

The Alpine Ibex of Gran Paradiso
In Valle d'Aosta, you'll find Italy's oldest park, already a hunting reserve of the Savoy royal family since 1856! Right here, with the "Alpine Safari" of Gran Paradiso, you'll be guided by Naturalp's experts to discover the ibex and its fantastic world. Visits are possible from mid-April to late June!

A young ibex scratches its back with its horns.

The Stelvio Marmot
Nestled between the provinces of Sondrio, Brescia, Trento, and Bolzano is the Stelvio Park, with its glaciers and territory (over 130,000 hectares!) three-quarters of which are above 2,000 meters in altitude! If you want to hear the whistles of marmots, this is the right place! Throughout the summer, visits to discover this cute animal are organized; check for updated appointments on the website!

A snack in the company of 3 marmots.

The Abruzzo Giant: the Marsican Bear

The Marsican brown bear is a subspecies found only in Italy, and currently, about 70 individuals survive in the wild in the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park! To meet it up close, you can visit the Museum of the Marsican Bear located in the municipality of Palena (CH), where an area has been established around the MOM hosting 3 specimens of Marsican bear!

A bear cub

The Roar of the Deer
The Paneveggio - Pale di San Martino Natural Park in Trentino is one of the parks with the highest concentration of ungulates! In autumn and by reservation, it is even possible to observe (with special infrared cameras) the deer during the rut, as they vie for dominance over the harem at night!

An adult male deer at an alpine pasture 

The Apennine Wolf
The largest and most feared predator in the European animal world is him: the wolf! In Pretora, at the Maiella National Park, an area has been equipped for the protection and care of Italian gray wolves! Here, two wolves are hosted in semi-captivity, and injured or "problematic" wolves recovered from nature are cared for!

A gray wolf listening