The weather was on their side at the end of August when 1,006 alphorn players gathered on the Klewenalp mountainside to play “Uf de Bänklialp” by Jost Aregger. The reason for the serenade was to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest alphorn ensemble. The huge group played for five minutes and entered the record books in style.
A round of applause for Switzerland’s latest supercomputer inaugurated in Lugano in September. It is called Alps and is one of the fastest computers in the world. Alps can perform calculations in one day that would take a regular laptop about 40,000 years to process. It will be used for weather and climate forecasts.
Pets make people happy, but often only temporarily. This has not gone unnoticed by the Swiss Animal Protection (SAP) shelters. In 2023, 31,000 dogs, cats and other domestic pets were delivered to SAP shelters and rehomed whenever possible. Source: SAP animal protection statistics
The number of carefree people in Switzerland has fallen significantly compared to last year. That is the conclusion of an SRG survey. It documents growing fear of loss. Some 71 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement, “Our carefree days are behind us.” And only 26 per cent thought that children growing up in Switzerland today have fewer worries than any generation before them. Source: SRG
Swiss Animal Protection (SAP) is familiar with the temporary happiness experienced by dog and cat owners, but it has also become aware of a “worrying situation” regarding fish. Fish have become the country’s most discarded pet. About 18,000 were handed in to SAP shelters. Source: SAP animal protection statistics
The apron or “Roi du Doubs”, zingel asper, is an exceedingly rare fish that can only be found in the Doubs river. The Confederation and nature conservation organisations had almost despaired of ever finding one despite their best efforts, and then... 1 apron was found. According to the prevailing wisdom, that is not enough to breed the fish and return them to the wild.
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