"There was an Alpine Hare here," says Lisa, pointing to some tracks in the freshly fallen snow. I followed the tracks with my eye, which were soon lost in the wintry landscape. Early this morning, we had been having a quarrel. A breathtakingly beautiful winter day had then announced itself, and – rather than going skiing together – I wanted to go strolling through the Alpe di Siusi with my girlfriend. That's because Lisa is a enthusiastic hunter, and is intimately familiar with the behavior and habits of wild animals. And I had always been fascinated by the animal tracks and spoors which I had seen crisscrossing the fresh blanket of snow far below while I rode the aerial lift up to the top in the morning. So I seized the bull by the horns in order to learn more about how our native fauna survives the relentless winter.

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