Pastures
Life in the grass
The big grassy expanse, extended on the alpine pastures, represents an ideal place to admire the alpine nature. At high altitude it is easy to find a lot of species of birds: the ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus), the tree pipit (Anthus pratensis), the lesser whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) and the whinchat (Saxicola rubetra). Looking up in the sky you could also see some raptors trying to examine their hunting ground: a hover will show you the kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), while the twirl of a bigger bird will indicate the presence of a golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) that regularly goes to the pastures of Monte Bondone.
Looking down, between the thick grass blades, you will find lots of insects and small animals with some specimens of unique rareness and beauty. Some examples are the apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) and the large copper butterfly (Lycaena dispar).
The same meadows are home to a big variety of botanical species, known especially for their officinal properties: the mountain arnica (Arnica montana), the caraway (Carum carvi), the imperforate St John's-wort (Hypericum maculatum), the great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea) and the valerian (Valeriana officinalis). At the end of the XIX century, this unique floristic composition was famous for "hey baths", done to cure joint pain, rheumatism and arthritis.
