A land of scrubland
At first glance, the vegetation of Sardinia does not seem to be very abundant. The windswept island displays a dense, compact, contracted vegetation. However, the diversity of soils and climates allows a wide variety of plants to flourish. The most common plant expression is the maquis, which is characterized by drought-resistant shrubs whose nature varies according to altitude. The term 'maquis' refers to the mottled appearance of landscapes that form a patchwork of greenery on peeled soils. Between sea level and 300 metres above sea level, it consists of Phoenician juniper, carob trees, oleaster (wild olive trees), mastic grass, myrtle and tree spurge. This beautiful diversity of fragrant plants delivers its heady notes at dusk. Palm, Aleppo pine and umbrella pine grow at the same altitude. The pines were imported and planted to slow down the advance of the sand dunes inland. Between 300 and 1,100 m above sea level, the scrub is stunted; it grows less tall. Spurge and Phoenician juniper are replaced by rockrose, pistachio, calico with its beautiful yellow flowers, tree heather and flowering heather, strawberry tree. The oak makes its appearance. The cork oak occupies an area stretching from the north of Gallura to Barbagie. Still very present, its distinctive bark is widely exploited around Tempio Pausana. The holm oak grows all over the territory, but sparsely. The vast forests that used to cover the island have been degraded and damaged by fires. The oak stands next to hazelnut, chestnut, alder, hornbeam, ash, maritime pine and rare bouquets of Italian cypress. On the upper floor, where the average annual temperature is between 10 and 13 °C, the scrubland gives way to pubescent oak woods. Montpellier maple, holly, yew and corm trees make their appearance, while pine, chestnut and hazelnut trees tend to disappear from 1,000 m onwards. Scrubland is mainly composed of tree heather and broom broom. Finally, at over 1,500 metres above sea level, where the average annual temperature does not exceed 10 °C, the trees give way to bushes of common juniper and Etna barberry.
April in bloom
Flowering takes place over a relatively short period in April. Then the island is adorned with all the colours and diffuses pleasant fragrances. It shows a face that is the opposite of its summery sobriety. The shrubs let yellow, white, mauve, pink burst out, which will give for some of them fruits. As for the flowers, we can notably mention the Montpellier cistus with its delicate white corolla, the Provence bindweed with mauve flowers or the sea lily that lines the dunes with white. On the beachfront, the wild iris bursts its purple petals for only half a day. The cottony galactite, with its star-shaped blooms, colonizes the wastelands and embankments, which it dresses in white. The most fervent botanists try to find the Sardinian sage, an astonishing endemic plant. Its fluffy white and lilac flowers resemble orchid buds.
Ornithologist's paradise
Ponds, swamps, sea, lagoons, mountains, rocks and plains form natural habitats that are welcoming to hundreds of species of birds. The geographical situation of Sardinia, in the centre of the Mediterranean, is an essential stopover for migratory birds. Sardinia alone is home to 70% of Italy's avifauna. It is largely made up of aquatic species. On the coasts, there are no gulls or terns. The Audouin's Gull is rare, unlike the common cormorant or the crested cormorant. The ponds are home to large colonies of ducks, white-headed ducks, common ducks, coots, grebes, water rails, egrets and herons. Flamingos make their home all year round in Cagliari (Molentargius ponds). But the best time to observe them is in May and June, when they come to give birth to their young, before continuing their migration northwards. You must then go to the ponds of San Teodoro on the Costa Smeralda or to the ponds of Cabras near Oristano. Sardinia is home to some species that have become rare, such as the coal tit, the spotted woodpecker, the oak jay or the avocet. If in the mountains the avifauna is less varied, it is no less spectacular. The vast deserted areas attract falcons, golden eagles, Bonelli's eagles, hawks and even the griffon massif that can be seen in the Bosa region. With a wingspan of 2.80 metres and a weight of 10 kg, it cannot be seen when it hovers in the sky. To get acquainted with the Sardinian avifauna, there is an Ornithological Museum in Siddi, in the west of the island, which exhibits 300 different species.
Wildlife on land... and sea
With the exception of wild boars, which are abundant, one must be patient to observe the island's mammals. Deer, weasel, fox and hare suffer from the reduction of their natural habitat. The mouflon with its long coiled horns can still be seen in the mountains. Another exciting species is the small wild horse galloping on the altiplano of the Giara di Gesturi. It should be noted that the common wild species are all smaller than those that can be seen on the mainland. At sea too, the scarcity of mammals is becoming the norm. The monk seal disappeared from the Sardinian coast in the 1980s. However, Mediterranean whales and dolphins can be observed off Capo Falcone and Capo Ferro. A protective law prohibits approaching them from less than 60 metres or swimming with them. Sardinia's clear, fishy waters are very popular with divers. The red coral in particular attracts all kinds of interest, both photographic and commercial. It is recovered by a few rare licensed fishermen off Alghero, the islands of Asinara and Santa Teresa di Gallura and then transformed into magnificent jewels. This highly supervised fishing has so far allowed the preservation of its ecosystem.
