Tourist waste in the Alps: Cows suffer and die in agony!

Tourist waste in the Alps: Cows suffer and die in agony!

The Alps, as a popular travel destination in Austria, attract a large number of hiking tourists every year. But the onslaught has serious consequences for the animals living there. A key problem is the improper disposal of rubbish by visitors, which particularly threatens the health of cows in the mountains. According to a report by Watson Many animals eat waste, which leads to painful deaths.

Cows that mix waste with grass often have fatal injuries to their gastrointestinal tract. A farmer described the tragic case of one of his cows bleeding internally after swallowing garbage. Veterinarian Johann Burgstaller explains that such injuries are often only recognized when symptoms of illness appear. While metal parts can be removed with magnets, things are much worse with plastic or glass fragments.

Garbage problem in the mountains

The problems caused by garbage in the mountains are not new. Many hiking tourists thoughtlessly leave behind waste in nature. Littering, which occurs both unconsciously and consciously, poses a huge threat to flora and fauna. Garbage hotspots, i.e. heavily frequented places, often become garbage dumping areas.

According to the website mountain time Plastic bags decompose in valleys after about 80 years, while degradation in the mountains can take up to 120 years. The low temperatures and reduced oxygen concentration at higher altitudes slow down the decay process significantly. The organization Global 2000 has also documented more than 105,800 cases of littering since 2017, with the most discarded waste being cigarette butts, plastic waste and metal products.

Consequences for the ecosystem

Garbage in the Alps not only has aesthetic but also health effects on the ecosystem. Microplastics have now been detected not only in bodies of water, but also in glaciers and other parts of the biosphere. On the Forni glacier, for example, 74 plastic particles were found per kilogram of deposits.

The garbage also puts a strain on the hut owners, as the amount of waste varies greatly per overnight stay. While in hard-to-reach areas it is 0.3 to 1.5 kilograms per guest, waste disposal at high altitudes is often expensive and difficult to implement. Farmers' associations and veterinarians appeal to tourists to think about the consequences of their actions and to take their rubbish back with them.

It is becoming increasingly clear that waste control measures are necessary at various levels. Both private and public actors must develop a common awareness of protecting nature so that the beauty of the Alps is preserved for future generations.