Wild animals
When walking in the forest, maybe we will spot the footprints of wild animals on the ground... In order to catch a glimpse of the wild animals that live in the heart of our woodlands you have to rise very early and hide from view in total silence.
The natural habitat harbours living creatures from ground level to the tops of the trees: stags, does or wild boars hiding in the undergrowth, chamois goats scrambling over rocks, squirrels perching in the trees and rabbits bolting off at the slightest disturbance.
Animals are often emblematic, inspiring myths and legends, such as the stag bearing a crucifix, symbol of Christ and attribute of St. Eustache and St. Julian Hospitator, companion of St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters.
The wolf, which has fascinated Man throughout history, once very common and now a protected species, is the source of many a collective fear, sometimes portrayed as a blood-thirsty predator ("Little Red Riding Hood") and at other times as a protector and foster parent ("Romulus and Remus").
Throughout history, the wild animals of our forests, admired, feared and hunted, have been a source of inspiration for all aspects of our culture.
