Info point 4

In addition to the Blacknose sheep, which you can find out more about at info point 11, there are many other animals to observe on the Gornergrat – although you will have to keep a lookout for them. During the summer months, ibexes roam the green meadows on the Gornergrat. Here they find enough food from grasses, herbs and other plants to cover their energy needs. The grounds provide a safe haven for these unique creatures. In the steep rock faces, they find suitable niches and caves to raise their young. The Alpine ibexes are characterised by their imposing horns, which in the case of the bucks can reach a length of up to 103 cm. They are not only impressive to look at, but are above all a sign of strength and dominance.  

The “Murmunde”, as the people of Zermatt affectionately call marmots, spend a lot of their time underground. Around 1,000 specimens live in the vicinity of the Matterhorn village. They come out of hibernation at the beginning of March, feed on the first herbs and grasses, and warm their bodies in the spring sun. They are about half a metre tall and have a tail length of 115 mm. 

Often watched: marmots on the Gornergrat

Story 115

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