Although the Swiss Alps are a long way from the native range of the brook trout, the streams that flow from the mountains offer perfect habitat for Salvelinus fontinalis. According to Nick Karas–author of Brook Trout: A Thorough Look at North America’s Great Native Trout- Its History, Biology, and Angling Possibilities–brook trout were first introduced into Switzerland’s high-country streams in 1883, and they continue to thrive in these pristine waters.