Le high altitude walks They always give us great emotions, not to be wasted. The lush nature, with plants to discoverThe landscapes. The pure air. The silence. And also the pleasure of meet the animals at pasture (cows, sheep, horses), when they are free and calm, in a natural environment, busy only growing up with their young. As visitors, however, we cannot help but respect a natural balance and indulge in counterproductive behaviors that can harm us and the grazing animals themselves. Let's look at 10 good, very simple ways to behave around grazing animals.
Index of topics
HOW TO BEHAVE WITH GRAZING ANIMALS
- Don't leave the path. When we go for a walk in the mountains and cross a pasture or an alpine pasture, it is good don't go too far away from hiking trails. These routes are established with one criterion: to avoid confusing mountain economic activities with day trips for tourists. These two areas can be brought together, but must remain separate, for obvious safety reasons.
- Go around the animal blocking the road. The opposite of what we saw in the previous point can happen: that is, the animal leaves its enclosure to enter the space intended for humans. In this case we don't have to go up to him and challenge him, but simply go around it at a great distance, so that it is impossible to cross it too closely.
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ARE COWS DANGEROUS?
Cows are peaceful animals and not dangerous. They have no intention of attacking humans, but they may react badly to reckless behavior.
- Keep your distance. To avoid any risk, it's best to keep a distance of at least twenty meters between ourselves and grazing cows. Especially when there are calves that mothers instinctively protect. This means not getting too close to grazing animals and not scaring them with unnecessary photographs, a stick, or simply staring into their eyes.
- Don't feed. Furthermore, during the meeting with the grazing animals, one should not feed them. You shouldn't touch them, stay behind within kicking distance. And, absolutely, woe betide anyone who pettes the calves. You can expect any reaction from the mother.
WHAT TO DO IF THE COW APPROACHES
If a cow approaches, the reaction is simple: pretend nothing is happening.
- Keep calm. Even cows might be attracted by our arrival and approach us, leaving their natural habitat. Nothing serious. Let's keep calmLet's not scare them, let's not make any sudden movements. And let's move away slowly.
- Don't climb over fences. If we have to continue walking along our paths, even when we come across a herd, we can't even think of taking another kind of risk: climbing over their fence to get closer to them. an extremely incorrect and dangerous gestureLikewise, if you notice open dividing gates, be sure to close them.
HOW TO KEEP COWS AWAY?
Once the cow has approached, you must proceed with extreme caution, always remaining calm.
- Don't run away. Don't shout, don't get agitatedDon't turn your back on the animal. Walk away calmly. Instead, pay attention to the cow's posture. If its head is pointing upward, it's friendly; if it's pointing downward, like a bull, it's agitated.
- Dogs on leashes. If you are in the company of a dog, it is one more reason to stay at a safe distance From cows and grazing animals in general. In any case, dogs near pastures must be kept on a leash: only release it if the grazing animal attacks, giving your dog a chance to defend himself and move away.
HOW TO DEAL WITH GRAZING ANIMALS
As we've seen so far, grazing animals should be approached with great calm. In reality, they're harmless. Two final pieces of advice.
- Signs of restlessness. You approached, keeping a safe distance, and noticed that the animal was restless. Don't insistThere's no air: better to abandon the pasture.
RESPECT THE INFORMATION SIGNS
Cows, sheep, horsesGrazing animals don't want to be disturbed by our whims or curiosity. Rightfully so. So take a look around the pasture you're approaching: there are signs, like road signs, with all the necessary warnings, including alternative routes. Respect them.
HOW DOGS AND CATS IMPROVE OUR LIVES:
- Cat cafes: where to find them
- How to exercise with your dog
- Art and animals help heal the young patients at Milan's Fatebenefratelli Hospital.
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