Whether it’s the whistle of the marmot, the flight of the eagle or the walk of the ibex on the vertical wall of the Barbellino Lake dam, there are plenty of opportunities to get in touch with the wild animals that inhabit Bergamo’s land.
The wildlife heritage of the Orobic territory is rich; you can make encounters with special animals in every habitat, whether it’s the mountains, the city, the lake or the plains.
Strolling through the streets of the city, it is not uncommon to encounter a Bergamasco Shepherd, the dog breed that originated in our own foothills of the Alps. From ancient origins: he is depicted in a painting attributed to Lorenzo Lotto. Its coat is its peculiarity and gives it a rustic appearance: long and abundant, especially in the back where the “taccole,” ringlets of hair impenetrable to water, are formed. You’re sure to notice it! He is an excellent companion for children and the elderly.
The Orobie Bergamasche Park, with its 70000 hectares, is home to numerous species of animals.
Walking the trails you can hear the whistling of marmots and encounter chamois and ibex as they climb the rocks, spot mouflon, badgers, stoats, deer, pine martens, weasels and foxes.
Numerous birds also inhabit the valleys: the golden eagle, buzzard, black grouse, and other rare species, such as the dwarf owl and the tawny owl.
Sightings of brown bears are becoming increasingly frequent: these are dispersing specimens from the east that periodically cross the Orobie Park territory.
One of the most interesting places to observe these animals is in Valbondione; it is the Maslana floral wildlife observatory, which hosts interesting events and workshops dedicated to the discovery of wildlife every year.
The Orobie also have their own goat. It is an excellent grazer in the high alpine pastures and has been back in breeding for a few years: its peculiarity is its long hair that varies in color depending on the breed.
The master of the Bergamo Orobie Mountains. Reintroduced 30 years ago, today there are more than 1,000 specimens. With its imposing horns, the ibex is a skilled climber that also climbs in extreme places, defying gravity. An encounter with an ibex is not uncommon, and its calm disposition allows it to get so close that it can almost touch them.
Easy to spot, the marmot is found in large numbers in the Orobie Mountains. With its stocky body, large head and short neck, the marmot lives in groups protected by sentinels. Its characteristic, high-pitched whistle alerts its group to the presence of strangers.
With its spectacular flying parades and characteristic spiral flight, the queen of the sky is the golden eagle. Four pairs are known in our valleys.
But it is not the only one flying in our skies. Noteworthy is the black grouse, with its dark, glossy plumage and distinctive gurgling during mating season.
Brownish-brown in hue, it is the largest amphibian in Europe, and there are about 20,000 of them on Lake Endine. It has a stocky body, warty skin and no tail. The female, twice the size of the male, carries it on its back during mating, and so in spring the toads reach the lake to lay eggs.
If you are near the lake between March and April, you can help the many volunteers who flock each year to help the bufo bufo cross the highway that separates the mountain from which they descend from the lake, which they must reach to lay their eggs.
Other notable amphibians include the yellow-bellied toad and the alpine salamander. The viviparous lizard can also be encountered only here: it lives in the mountains of the Seriana Valley.
Bergamo can count on exclusive species of beetles, spiders and butterflies. More than 180 species of insects live in the province of Bergamo, and 60 percent of them are exclusive to our territory: in fact, numerous species of these insects originate here and live exclusively in our Orobie Mountains. Because of their limited habitat, they are classified as protected and endangered species.
Recall the Allegrettia Piavani, a very rare beetle that lives in Buca del Corno, a karst cave in Val Cavallina.
