Bear's nest

Who would have thought that such an inconspicuous crevice hides a cave with spectacular finds!

It was October 25, 2021, when Rebecca Caspani and Martin Trüssel entered the Bärenhöhle Fürenalp cave for the first time after digging up the cave entrance. They were looking for undiscovered caves in the Engelberg area. At that time, the Fürenalp co-owner Toni Matter drew their attention to this inconspicuous crevice.

After a narrow descent, during which boulders and rubble first had to be cleared away, they discovered a room about 4 m long and up to 2 m high. Large tubular bones and a partially disintegrated lower jaw, from which all the teeth had fallen out, lay scattered on the scree floor. The expert's view showed that these must be brown bear bones.

How old might these bear bones be? Difficult to estimate. As they were lying on the surface of the scree, they could be several hundred years old, but possibly much older. Only radiometric age dating (14C dating) can provide clarity.

The result was spectacular - two of them lived on the Fürenalp 9500 and 12400 years ago respectively. In particular, it is the oldest post-glacial brown bear found in Central Switzerland.

The small but excellent exhibition provides an exciting insight into cave research and bear life. There is also plenty for younger visitors to discover, such as the bear stories, the feel boxes and the cuddly bear cave. The cave on the Grotzliweg is not accessible. The "Bear's Nest" exhibition is right next to the Fürenalp mountain station. Have fun on your journey through time.