Wildlife messengers – Typical species around Illens and the Petite Sarine forest reserve

The Petite Sarine forest reserve shelters a fascinating range of animal life—often discreet, but finely adapted to its habitats of woodland, riverbanks, damp embankments and rocky slopes. This diversity is part of what gives the Sarine valley its distinctive natural terroir. 

At dusk, aclear, bell-like note rises near the water: the call of the common Midwife Toad. Measuring only around 3.5–5 cm, this small amphibian has an extraordinary breeding strategy. Rather than laying eggs directly in water, the male carries the fertilised egg strings wrapped around his hind legs, keeping them moist until they are ready to hatch; only then does he release the tadpoles into asuitable body of water.

As nightfalls, the Tawny Owl moves through the old trees and along the meadow edge. Amaster of low light, it hunts with acute hearing and near-silent flight,watching for small mammals that venture out at the forest margin.

Along the Sarine and around the Illens farm, wagtails bring movement and life. The Grey Wagtail stays close to fast-flowing water, flicking between stones and banks, while the White Wagtail patrols more open ground—fields, paths, and the working spaces of the agricultural domain—always alert.

On the steepest slopes, among rocks and escarpments, the chamois roams with striking agility. Sure-footed by design, it embodies the close link between wildlife and relief in this landscape of cliffs, woodland and river bends.

Thestrength of the Petite Sarine forest reserve lies in the variety and continuity of its habitats. Protecting these environments, and the natural structures that define them (old trees, wooded banks, sheltered embankments), allows sensitive species to breed and thrive with minimal disturbance. In doing so, the reserve helps maintain a durable ecological balance, where each species plays its partin the vitality of the ecosystem.

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