[4] In the early 19th century, due to hunting, the Alpine ibex survived in the Gran Paradiso and Vanoise area.

[3] Due to the alarming decrease in the ibex population, Victor Emmanuel, soon to be King of Italy, declared the Royal Hunting Reserve of the Gran Paradiso in 1856.

Paths laid out for the ibex are still used today as part of 724 kilometres (450 miles) of marked trails and mule tracks.

In the following decade, despite the presence of the park, a worsening of the quality of surveillance under Fascist rule, poaching and World War II led to a steady decrease in the ibex population.

[4] The park is located in the Graian Alps in the regions of Piedmont (in the Metropolitan City of Turin) and Aosta Valley in northwest Italy.

The beech leaves take a long time to decompose and they form a thick layer on the woodland floor that impedes the development of other plants and trees.

It rarely grows above 1,000 metres (3,300 feet), and the most important chestnut forests are on the park's Piedmontese side.

Larch and Swiss stone pine woods are found up to the highest sub-alpine level (2,200–2,300 metres (7,200–7,500 ft)).

[8] The wildflowers in the park's high meadows include wild pansies, gentians, martagon lilies and alpenroses.

Alpine plants have adapted to these habitats by assuming characteristics like dwarfism, hairiness, bright coloured flowers and highly developed roots.

[4] Alpine ibex graze in the abundant mountain pastures in summer, and descend to lower elevations in winter.

[14] Along with the ibex, the animal species found in the park include ermine, weasel, hare,[10] Eurasian badger, alpine chamois, wolf (recently arrived from Central Italy) and maybe even lynx.

[4] There are more than 100 bird species in the park, including Eurasian eagle-owl, rock ptarmigan, alpine accentor and chough.