Vallon de Muretier

The red squirrel or Eurasian squirrel is an arboreal, diurnal rodent. As its name suggests, it can be found over much of the Eurasian continent, but is nonetheless one of the key species in French coniferous and mixed forests. It weighs an average of 600 grams and measures 18 to 20 cm plus a tail of 16 to 20 cm. Its colour varies from reddish to brownish-black, but its belly is always white. It spends much of its life stocking up on food, seeds or acorns, in preparation for winter. In fact, it does not hibernate and only slows down during this period. Squirrels lead solitary lives and only meet other squirrels when they are breeding. The threat of the grey squirrel, which was imported from North America, is better adapted to deciduous forests and carries a deadly virus for its cousin, is worsening in Europe and could soon spread to the Alps.

This centuries-old sheepfold was first restored in 1755 during Jean Francois Gautier's term as mayor of Les Orres, after whom it was named, and once again in 2009 after withstanding more than two centuries of weathering. The floor of the sheepfold was laid using the traditional "standing timber" technique. Small, debarked trunks 12 cm high are held vertically by crushed gravel between the trunks.

Around the refuge of Les Bans, the marmot observes visitors as much as they observe it! Its main strategy in the face of predators (golden eagle, fox, etc.) is to seek refuge in its burrow. It lives in a family, made up of a pair of dominant adults and subordinates from successive litters. Grooming, games and fights ensure group cohesion and respect for hierarchy. Everyone helps to mark out the territory by depositing faeces or urine at the borders and rubbing their cheeks against the rocks to leave their scent. The marmot is a wild, herbivorous animal. Feeding it causes it to adopt behaviours that run counter to the instinctive reactions that usually protect it.

In summer, chamois can be seen grazing in the cool of the day. When the sun heats up the valley, they prefer to lie in the shade of the green alders, unless they stay on the snowfields in the cooler areas. Very curved horns: this is a male, a billy goat. Open horns: a female goat. The horns do not extend beyond the ears: this is an Eterlou or Eterle, young in its second year. Horns barely pointing: it's a kid..