A land of scrubland
At first glance, Sardinia's vegetation doesn't seem very abundant. The windswept island's vegetation is bushy, compact and contracted. Yet the diversity of soils and climates allows a wide variety of plants to flourish. The most common plant expression is the maquis, characterized by drought-resistant shrubs whose nature varies according to altitude. The term "maquis" refers to the mottled appearance of the landscape, which forms a patchwork of greenery on rocky soils. Between sea level and 300 meters above sea level, the maquis is made up of Phoenician juniper, carob, oleaster (wild olive), mastic, myrtle and euphorbia arborescens. This beautiful diversity of fragrant plants delivers its heady notes at dusk. Palms, Aleppo pines and umbrella pines grow at the same altitude. Pines were imported and planted to slow the advance of sand dunes inland. At altitudes between 300 and 1,100 m, the scrubland becomes stunted and grows lower. Euphorbia and Phoenician juniper are replaced by rockrose, pistachio, yellow-flowered calicotome, tree and flowering heather and arbutus. The oak makes its appearance. The cork oak occupies an area stretching from northern Gallura to Barbagia. Still very present, its distinctive bark is widely exploited around Tempio Pausana. Holm oaks grow throughout the region, albeit sparsely. The vast forests that once covered the island have been degraded and damaged by fire. Oak stands alongside hazel, chestnut, rope alder, hop hornbeam, ash, maritime pine and rare clumps of Italian cypress. On the upper level, where the average annual temperature is between 10 and 13°C, scrubland gives way to downy oak woods. Montpellier maple, holly, yew and cedar make their appearance, while pine, chestnut and hazel tend to disappear from 1,000 m upwards. The scrubland consists mainly of tree heather and broom. Finally, at altitudes above 1,500 m, where the average annual temperature does not exceed 10°C, trees give way to bushes of common juniper and Etna barberry.
April in bloom
Flowering takes place over a relatively short period, in April. This is when the island is decked out in all its colors and diffuses pleasant fragrances. The face of the island is the opposite of its summer sobriety. Shrubs burst forth in yellow, white, mauve and pink, some of which produce fruit. Among the flowers are the Montpellier rockrose with its delicate white corolla, the Provence bindweed with its mauve flowers and the sea lily, which covers the dunes in white. At the edge of the beach, the wild iris lets its violet petals bloom for only half a day. The cottony galactite, with its star-shaped bloom, colonizes wastelands and embankments, dressing them in white. The most fervent botanists try to flush out the Sardinian sage, an astonishing endemic plant. Its downy white and lilac flowers resemble orchid buds.
Ornithologist's paradise
Ponds, marshes, sea, lagoons, mountains, rocky outcrops and plains form natural habitats that are home to hundreds of bird species. Sardinia's geographical location at the center of the Mediterranean makes it 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 coast, you won't find gulls or terns. Audouin's gulls are rare, unlike the common and crested cormorants. The ponds are home to large colonies of ducks, white-headed ducks, scaups, coots, grebes, water rails, egrets and herons. Flamingos make their year-round home near Cagliari (Molentargius ponds). But the best time to see them is in May and June, when they give birth to their young before continuing their northward migration. The best places to visit are the San Teodoro ponds on the Costa Smeralda or the Cabras ponds near Oristano. Sardinia is home to some rare species, such as the great tit, the great spotted woodpecker, the oak jay and the avocette. Although the birdlife in the mountains is less varied, it is no less spectacular. The vast deserted areas are a magnet for falcons, golden and Bonelli's eagles, sparrow hawks and even the massive griffon, which can be seen in the Bosa region. With its 2.80-meter wingspan and 10 kg weight, it's hard to miss when it soars through the sky. To familiarize yourself with Sardinian birdlife, there's an Ornithological Museum at Siddi, in the west of the island, which exhibits 300 different species.
Wildlife on land... and sea
With the exception of the abundant wild boar, you'll need to be patient to observe the island's mammals. Deer, weasels, foxes and hares are suffering from the reduction of their natural habitat. The mouflon sheep with its long, curled horns can still be spotted in the mountains. Another exciting species is the small wild horse that gallops across the Giara di Gesturi altiplano. It's worth noting that the common wild species are all smaller than those seen on the mainland. At sea, too, mammal rarity is becoming the norm. The monk seal disappeared from the Sardinian coast in the 1980s. However, Mediterranean whales and dolphins can be seen off Capo Falcone and Capo Ferro. A protection law prohibits approaching them to less than 60 meters or swimming with them. Sardinia's clear, fish-filled waters are very popular with divers. The red coral in particular attracts a great deal of interest, both photographic and commercial. It is harvested by a handful of licensed fishermen off Alghero, the islands of Asinara and Santa Teresa di Gallura, and transformed into magnificent jewels. Until now, this highly regulated fishery has preserved its ecosystem.
