Set in the heart of Central Europe, Austria is the country boasting the largest share of the Alps. It’s a land of sky-scraping peaks, vertiginous ridges and rocky slopes giving way to lush pastures, glacier-scoured valleys and cascading rivers. But it also encompasses floodplains, forests, wetlands, steppe and shimmering lakes.
This varied mix of habitats is home to a menagerie of wildlife. Familiar mammals such as ibex, chamois, marmot, red deer, otter and beaver share the landscape with more elusive species, including lynx and wildcat. Birdlife is profuse, too: majestic raptors soar on thermal currents, while waders and waterfowl throng the Danube floodplain and Lake Neusiedl (Neusiedler See). In total, more than 450 avian species have been recorded in Austria, the largest and most memorable including bearded and griffon vultures,…