Small mammal Fauna in the Swiss National Park – developments over the last 100 years

Abstract

When the Swiss National Park was founded, taking stock of the fauna and flora was a major goal. Various efforts were made to investigate insectivores and rodents, but little was published about the findings. In this article I will analyse the existing data in terms of how the small mammal fauna has developed over the last 100 years. The data reveal that species that are rare today were rare then and the common ones were quite numerous then too. The protection status has meant that former pasturing animals, mainly sheep, were replaced by wild animals like the red deer, so that the environment of the small mammals in this distinctly dry area has changed little.