Animal rescue on Lake Grundlsee: Gams spectacularly freed from ice!

Animal rescue on Lake Grundlsee: Gams spectacularly freed from ice!

An animal emergency took place on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, on Lake Grundlsee in Styria. A strayed gam had caught on the partially frozen water and could not reach the shore independently. Fortunately, the dramatic rescue operation was initiated by professional hunter Manfred Gumpinger and a colleague. They faced the challenge that the ice was too thin to go to the lake safely. Creativity was in demand!

As was reported, the rescuers had to improvise. The first attempts failed, but finally they tied a piece of wood to a lasso and were able to free the chamois from their predicament. Such animal adventures are not an isolated case. Nature is in transition, and the habitats of many animals, such as marmots and alpine snaps, are drastically changing. These species are increasingly withdrawing in higher layers, while others, such as the snowhase or the fire salamander, are threatened with extinction, such as national Geographic reported. Climate change has profound effects on alpine habitats, and the challenges for the wild animals are increasing steadily, which leads to dramatic survival fights.

The saving of the Gams on Lake Grundlsee is not only a remarkable example of human helpfulness, but also a reflection of the resistant nature. In the Alps, many animals face the question of where they can withdraw while they have to fight against the changed climatic conditions. While the rescuers made a happy ending for the chamois, it remains to be seen how the Situation for the wildlife will develop in the coming years.