Early Birds and Night Owls
Modern lightning technologies like headlamps make it possible: Ski tours can also be done after dawn. Our LVS-Checkpoints have shown that many people return from ski tours after sunset. This can not only be a safety risk but also means an evitable risk to wild animals. Especially since many of them have their highest activity during dawn.
How does that affect the Black Grouse?
Especially during dawn Black Grouse are extremely sensible as far as disturbance is concerned. In order to safe as much energy as they can they restrict their period of activity to dusk and dawn. During day and night they rest in snow caves.
If ski tourers disturb a Black Grouse during its period of activity, the energy usage increases by the factor of 12. Furthermore Black Grouse can only fly downwards which means that they have to walk all the way back up. This takes not only lots of energy but also quite a time. Time Black Grouse normally need for food intake.
Disturbance during the period of activity might have disastrous consequences for Black Grouse.
Dinner at dawn
Apart from Black Grouse also the Red Deer has its period of highest activity during dawn. While the dark is coming up the Red Deer makes its way to the feeding places. During this time in only takes one skier to scare off an entire heard. Especially at times of lots of snow Red Deer might not be able to return to the feeding. In order to appease their hunger anyways they eat what they can find: tiny trees.
