Explore the Alps.

Spot six animals and flowers together. Tap a discovery to find out more.

Illustrated Alpine mountains, rocky ledges and a meadow. Six animals and flowers are waiting to be discovered. — Illustrated Alpine habitats · AI-generated scene, not a real wildlife sighting. Use the linked expert guides for identification.

Keep discovering

A little Alpine field guide.

Open any name to read the facts without searching the picture. Expert links include real photographs and more detail.

Alpine ibexAnimal

Bouquetin des Alpes · Capra ibex

Recognise it: Look for a sturdy body and backward-curving horns. An adult male has especially large, ridged horns; females have shorter ones.
Did you know?: Its flexible, grippy hooves help it balance on steep rock. A large male’s horns can reach a metre in length.
Give nature space: Enjoy the view from a distance. Let it rest or feed without moving closer, even if it seems calm.

Écrins National Park · Ibex

ChamoisAnimal

Chamois · Rupicapra rupicapra

Recognise it: The short, slender horns curve into hooks at the tips. Compare them with the much larger horns of the male ibex.
Did you know?: Both males and females grow horns. In winter, a chamois grows a thicker, much darker coat.
Give nature space: Keep your distance and stay quiet. Being disturbed uses energy, which is especially precious in winter.

Écrins National Park · Chamois

Alpine marmotAnimal

Marmotte des Alpes · Marmota marmota

Recognise it: Look for a stocky brown-grey body, small ears and short, strong legs. Marmots live in burrows in mountain grassland.
Did you know?: That sharp whistle is an alarm call. Marmots also hibernate underground through the winter.
Give nature space: Watch quietly with binoculars. Never feed a marmot or wait right outside its burrow.

Écrins National Park · Marmot

Golden eagleAnimal

Aigle royal · Aquila chrysaetos

Recognise it: Look for a large, dark bird with broad wings. A silhouette is a useful clue, but is not enough for a certain identification.
Did you know?: An eagle can circle upwards on moving air, gaining height without constantly flapping its wings.
Give nature space: Watch from a distance with binoculars. Give birds space and respect any wildlife protection signs.

Écrins National Park · Golden eagle

EdelweissFlower

Edelweiss · Leontopodium nivale subsp. alpinum

Recognise it: Find a woolly white star surrounding small flower heads in the centre. Look closely at the whole plant when using a field guide.
Did you know?: The white star is made of modified leaves called bracts. The tiny true flowers are clustered in the middle.
Give nature space: Leave the flowers growing. Photograph from the path and avoid trampling the plants around them.

Mercantour National Park · Edelweiss

AlpenroseFlower

Rhododendron ferrugineux · Rhododendron ferrugineum

Recognise it: Look for clusters of bright pink flowers on a low shrub. Its leaves are dark and shiny above, with a rusty underside.
Did you know?: Its flexible branches can bend beneath a blanket of snow without breaking. The flowers attract pollinators in summer.
Give nature space: Leave flowers for visiting insects. Keep to the path and enjoy the shrub without picking or breaking branches.

CREA Mont-Blanc · Alpenrose (PDF)

In the real mountains: watch quietly, never feed wildlife, leave flowers growing and follow local signs. Chamonix’s advice for respecting wildlife ↗

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