Tourismus und Freizeitsport im Alpenraum - ein gravierendes Problem für Wildtiere ? [Tourisme et activités de loisir dans les Alpes. Tourism and recreational activity in the Alps].

Résumé

The paper deals with the question to what extent increasing tourist and leisure activities are a serious problem for wildlife. It presents the project 'Tourismus und Wild' carried out between 1990 and 1993. The aim of the project is to measure the effects of different forms of tourism and leisure activities (hiking, paragliding etc.) as a basis for optimizing the relationship between tourism/recreation and wildlife. The studies were carried out on chamois, ibex, alpine marmots and ptarmigan in several areas of the Swiss alps differing in their amount of tourist and leisure activities: a) in the same area in the course of the day and on different days. b) in different sections of an area and in different areas. Several examples from the current study are used for illustration. Hikers and alpine marmots: the example shows that hiking can have a stronger effect than would be expected from the greatly reduced flight distances of the animals. It shows as well that it matters whether hikers keep to the path and whether they are accompanied by a dog or not. Hikers and chamois: moderate hiking activity on a path leading across a preferred grazing area of male chamois influences their use of the area in the course of the day. When hikers are present the chamois avoid the attractive grazing areas. Hikers and ptarmigan: By measuring heart-rate it was shown that bradycardia (decrease in frequency) occurs when a person is approaching the nest. Bradycardia is a subtle indicator for stimuli to which incubating hends in the context of predator avoidance. Paragliders and chamois: in areas which so far have been rarely used by paragliders experimental flights provoked strong reactions (escape to the woods at great distances). The development of the responses is followed up. It is not yet possible to present definite results on the behaviour of animals in areas where paragliding has been carried out for a long time. Criteria are listed to clarify the question as to when certain events have to be considered as a 'serious problem': reduced survival and/or reproduction rate (even if a direct proof is lacking, as long as there is a strong indication from the analysis of the behaviour), habitat loss, effects on further