Peter And Paul Wildlife Park

On the hill of Rotmonten, above the old town of St. Gallen, Peter and Paul Wildlife Park is a free-to-enter animal park where the enclosures are set into the natural slope, woods and rock of the Prealpine landscape. Instead of exotic animals, the park keeps species that live or once lived in the Swiss mountains and forests, so a visit works as a close-up introduction to the native fauna of the Alps and their foothills.

The best-known residents are the ibex, the stocky, long-horned wild goats that were hunted almost to extinction in the nineteenth century and later reintroduced to the Alps. The park's artificial rock face, the Ibex Rocks, gives them steep terrain to climb, and visitors can watch them balancing on narrow ledges from below. Chamois, marmots, red deer, fallow deer and wild boar share the grounds, together with the shy predators of the forest: lynx and wildcat. Lynx are very hard to see in the wild in Switzerland, so a sight of one here, resting among the rocks or trees, is a highlight for many visitors, though the animals have plenty of cover and may stay out of view.

An information centre explains the animals' lives and habitats. Horns, antlers, hides and track casts can be touched, and screens play sounds and film clips, so the display is aimed at school classes and at families with children. The exhibits are simple but well suited to a short stop between walks.

The position adds to the pleasure. From the hilltop the view runs over the roofs of St. Gallen to Lake Constance, the Thurgau countryside and, on a clear day, the mountains of the Alpstein to the south. A restaurant offers regional dishes and refreshments, and several paths lead from the park into the surrounding woods, so the visit can be extended into a longer walk.

The park lies on the edge of the city and is reached by a short bus ride or a walk uphill from the centre, with an address on Kirchlistrasse. Dress for the weather and wear shoes with grip, because the paths are steep in places and can be slippery after rain. Winter visits are quieter, with snow on the ground and the animals in thick coats.