This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

The Natural Park of the Maritime Alps is one of the largest protected areas in Italy. Numerous peaks over 9.842-ft high, lakes, meadows, small glaciers, the abundance of alpine fauna and botanical species constitute a unique environmental heritage. Twinned since 1987 with the French Mercantour National Park, this Italian reserve protects a 247.000-acre area across the Alps, which was awarded the European “Diploma for the Environment” in 1993.

The Visitor Centers and the Maritime museums within the park offer the chance to get closer to its natural and cultural heritage, as well as to improve people’s knowledge about it.

The Visitor Centers, in particular, are perfectly suited to welcome tourists and schools with interesting exhibitions, information material, souvenir shops, publications, and local products.

“Men and Wolves Wildlife Centre” offers, in particular, two exhibition spaces, one in Entracque, the other in Casermette: they are both equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia displays.
Visitors can start their visit in any of the two exhibition spaces as they are not specifically linked to each other. The area of Casermette includes an enclosure of about 20 acres with some specimens of Canis lupus italicus. These animals would not survive anywhere else since they have been victims of serious accidents – mostly hit by cars – or because they had already been born in captivity. In the middle of the area, a three-story tower offers a good observation of the enclosed space.

Although they are not in the open, the wolves can be hardly ever seen – the best time of the day to observe them would be during the feeding time; special cameras have been installed for visitors, to increase their chances of actual wolf sightings.
The observation tower can be reached via a tunnel that features a comprehensive series of information panels about wolves and their natural habitat.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)