Gentle Giant - Otter's Paradise in Capercaillie County

Compared to its fellow summits in the Alps, the Oetscher is not very high: in fact, less than 2,000 metres. But among the gentle slopes of western Lower Austria, it really is a giant, with shoulders broad enough to bear the last of the Alps' virgin forests, the country's coldest plateau where temperatures fall to -50°, the oldest trees in all of Austria, and her very own Grand Canyon, the «Tormauer». Yet in making access difficult for human settlers, the gentle giant has succeeded in protecting its primary fauna. The capercaillie - rare in other parts of Europe - still makes its home in the coniferous forests, while snow grouse roam above the tree-line. Hawks lie in wait, while otters hunt in brooks. Even the brown bear has found refuge on the Oetscher's mountainsides.