Climate change threatens the biodiversity in the Swiss Alps – including the life of the mountain hare. Because the snow falls later and melts sooner, it loses its camouflage and becomes easy prey. Simultaneously, the species retreats to ever higher altitudes, where living space is diminishing and incest becomes likely.The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) is investigating this change with the help of genetic monitoring of faeces – a method that works without capturing or watching the animals.
The hand-drawn animated film by Lena Hochhuth brings the findings of this quiet research to life. It follows a mountain hare through a year full of changes, showing the problems of the climate and the arrival of a new rival: the brown hare. It replaces the mountain hare – and mixes with it. This illustrates how not only landscapes, but also the DNA of the animals changes.
«Climate change, biodiversity, genetic research – highly topical issues which are frequently discussed in the media and often emotionally charged. The project by Lena Hochhuth masters the difficult task of showing how these issues are connected by focusing on a specific topic from the often hidden world of research. By means of an excellent didactical reduction, she manages to convey these complex connections concisely and clearly. This accomplished project is distinguished by its convincing storytelling and brilliantly executed drawings and paintings.» – Excerpt supporting statement of the Subject Area Knowledge Visualization
«Instead of presenting scientific contents in a purely informative way, I have shaped them into a form that is narrative and emotionally accessible. In an interdisciplinary exchange with researchers from WSL, both sides realised that it is exactly this approach which is suitable to reach a younger audience.» – Lena Hochhuth
«I will continue to work at the intersection of entertainment and knowledge communication in oder to use design to create awareness for nature protection.» – Lena Hochhuth
