In 1900, storks numbered in the thousands in Alsace. Only two wild pairs remained in 1982. The white stork, a symbol of fertility according to medieval belief, is an emblem of Alsace. It instinctively built its nest on the chimneys of Alsatian houses. Efforts have been made, and it is possible to witness its massive return to Alsace, where there are around nine hundred wild couples today. The succession of mild winters and shorter cold spells, due to climate change, appeals to the storks, which hardly ever migrate. It is estimated that 1,000 to 2,000 storks, like Riquewihr's, spend the winter without leaving Alsace.