The snow-mouse (Arvicola nivalis) is confined to the alpine and snow regions, and is abundant at these levels throughout the whole chain of the Alps.
The brown bear continues to haunt the forests of the south, but is becoming rarer; the wolf, the wild boar, and the fox are most common throughout the great plain, as also the hare and several species of Arvicola.
The second and larger species is the water-rat, or "watervole," which belongs to a second section of the genus, and is commonly known as Microtus (Arvicola) amphibius, although some writers employ the inappropriate specific name terrestris.
Two or three species of vole (Arvicola) have been detected, and porcupines are common.