wildlife

In Valais, a team made up of a biologist, the French-speaking director of the Groupe Loup Suisse and trained volunteers have been following “Arsene's pack” for the past two years. Their goal is to rehabilitate the wolf for the general public. La Salamandre” magazine followed us for a day in the field in June 2024. We'd like to thank them for their interest in our project, as well as in the wolf and the Arsene's pack.

Every wildlife photographer knows that every picture has its own story. Effort, expectation, surprise, failure, despair, joy, emotion - these are the ingredients that make up, in addition to the scenery or subject, every wildlife photo. Nature offers its intimacy sparingly, and only when it decides to do so. It is more often the wildlife that decides than the photographer, despite all his investment, patience, perseverance and passion. You're about to discover a fantastic, rare story that now sounds like a wink of fate. We'll keep it in our heart forever...

In our previous articles, which you can read on the “blog” page for those who haven't yet consulted them, we took an in-depth look at the effectiveness of protection and the many factors that can influence or impact it, far beyond the statistics of annual losses due to wolves, which is just one factor among many. The reality is that today, if we really wanted to assess the effectiveness of protection in our country, it would be mandatory to take into account all the factors mentioned in our previous articles, especially the evolution of means of protection on each farm. We're talking here about changes made over the course of the year or compared with previous years (increase, stagnation or decrease in the methods used), but also those affecting the so-called live protection, i.e. the guardian dogs (abilities and interest in protection, physiological and psychological state, possible health problems in the form of illnesses or injuries, female in heat within a pack requiring the removal of individuals, concerns linked to potentially advanced age, etc.). And, of course, everything to do with the wolf and the pack present in the summering areas (territory management, evolution/modification of numbers, human intervention through regulation, character/personality of individuals, understanding of the territories and buffer zones by the authorities, etc.). But there's one element that we don't talk about enough, yet which is of enormous importance in everything to do with protection : the human being !

Many people still think that a wolf pack spends its time together, or that the hunt is conducted with all members present. We're going to give you some explanation about two spexplain to you, very simply, two very important key points about packs at this time of year - summer and the education of cubs. We need to know and understand them because, as we see in the field and when political decisions are being made, the way a pack functions is still poorly understood and, in some cases, even ignored, so that we can shoot as quickly as possible, particularly when it comes to reactive and proactive control shots. Errors are common, especially when it comes to evaluating a pack. The most frequent problem is that interpretations aren't based on a compilation and in-depth analysis of all the data collected, with the benefit of hindsight and knowledge.

Hybridization, a term often used when we talk about wolves, frequently leads to outcry and inaccurate statements. But what is hybridization ? How long has it existed ? How does it occur in nature ? And what are the exact causes, but above all the effects ? We've chosen to talk to you, in simplified terms (genetics can give you serious headaches, because of its complexity), about this topic which, although much talked about, is little understood by most people.

We often talk about instincts, but what are they? What purpose do they serve ? What influence do they have on the behavior of an animal, of a species, of living beings in general ? To better understand how a species functions, it's vital to know and understand instincts. Let's enter the magical world of instincts...

We're finally back to tell you about a predation attempt we witnessed by a wolf from the Arsene's pack on a herd of deer. Let's go !

Some time ago, we were lucky enough to observe a highly instructive inter-species interaction. We're going to share that interesting experience with you. The video will follow shortly, in order to preserve the safety of the Arsene's pack, as we've already explained.

Let's continue discovering how wolves hunt, their skills, techniques, behaviors and strategies, as well as those of their prey...

Here are three videos taken less than 1h15 apart to show you how wolves and their prey use territory and how inter-species relations work.

We're back for more adventures...

Our wildlife adventures continue...

HERE WE GO !!! From now on, we'll be sharing our logbook with you, where you'll be able to read about our adventures, observations & encounters during our "scouting" days and peregrinations.

When a wolf is spotted during daytime, it frequently triggers fears and, logically, controversy. "Certainly a deviant individual", "the wolf has lost his fearhumans fear", "wolf has nothing to do there" are often the remarks heard or read here and there. Wolf is supposed to be a nocturnal animal, so why do we sometimes see him during the day ? Has he lost his fear of humans ? When should wildlife wardens be notified ? We give you further information about that subject here.

Spring is the time of flowers and the return of beautiful and sunny days. But it's also the time of births in wildlife and not only for the wolf. What should you do if you find baby animals ? Which associations can inform you or taking action ?

So, what research are we conducting exactly? What financial means are being invested in our projects? What methods do we use to collect data so that you may peek into the lives of our wildlife? Here, you’ll find more information about our work, our motivations, our accomplishments so far as well as our plans for the upcoming months and years.