Fauna
The fauna of the Balearic Islands shows a relative poverty in terms of the variety of species thriving throughout the area, which are mostly birds. They populate spaces suitable for nesting, away from tourist areas. A distinction should be made between sedentary birds and migratory birds that arrive from Africa or Northern Europe and choose the Balearic Islands as a nesting place every year. Depending on the nature of the habitat (pond, coastline, mountain, rocky area, etc.), we will have the opportunity to observe passerines - warblers, goldfinches, blackbirds or the strange hoopoe -, waders - flamingos, herons, storks -, birds of prey - falcons and eagles (mainly in the massif of Artà, in Mallorca) - and water birds - pelicans, gulls and seagulls. But the fauna of the Balearic Islands is also made up of the animals of our forests and undergrowth. On excursions to the Tramuntana mountain range (Mallorca), you can meet rabbits, partridges and wild boars. Finally, along the shores, almost all the marine species that inhabit the Mediterranean can be seen, either on a diving trip or in the dishes of the many restaurants.
In Mallorca, many species are concentrated in the Tramuntana mountain range, in the Albufera ponds in the north of the island, or in the ponds of the southern tip, near Punta Volantina. Mallorca has 3 natural parks where you can observe a wide variety of migratory and marine birds. In Menorca, near Maó (Albufera d'es Grau) you will have the opportunity to discover the largest concentration of birds on the island. As for Ibiza-Formentera, the most beautiful and numerous specimens of birds can be found in the old salt flats. The fauna of the Pityuses also includes a great variety of small lizards and geckos, of a very strong green color or in turquoise blue colors. In Formentera, they are part of the protected species. In a completely different category is the Ibizan greyhound, or ca eivissenc, which is a short-haired, light-colored dog that looks surprisingly similar to those found on Egyptian documents from the time of the Pharaohs.
Flore
In Mallorca, the many species of trees populate mainly the rugged parts of the reliefs of the island. In the Tramuntana mountain range the holm oak reigns supreme. It enjoys, mainly on the northwestern slope of the Majorcan spine, special climatic conditions, marked by frequent rainfall that allows it to thrive easily. On the southeastern slope, we find species much more common to the Mediterranean world: some holm oaks, but mainly Aleppo pines that accompany many olive trees, almond trees, fig trees, or carob trees, imported over the centuries from the European and African continents, and which today make up a colorful and Mediterranean landscape. It is also common to find lemon and orange trees on the slopes of the Sierra as well as in the plain when they are intensively exploited for export. Outside the Serra de Tramuntana, the green lung of the island, the vegetation cover is relatively reduced, except in the protected areas and around Pollença. Menorca has its own vegetation. Swept by the winds, there are many more shrubs than trees, mainly conifers. Moreover, the Phoenician and Greek gods did not endow it with great fertility. We find fig trees, almost the only fruit trees of the island. One of the major activities of the Menorcan economy is livestock farming and not cultivation.
Like Majorca, Ibiza is still covered by part of its original forest. The island is also home to a wide variety of fruit trees: almond trees, carob trees, fig trees of course, but also palm trees and bougainvillea. In spite of the low relief, trees are omnipresent on the whole island. The vegetation cover consists of several dozen species of trees, such as pine, walnut, juniper, olive and carob. The most common tree in Ibiza is the sabina, a type of pine with a very hard wood that was used in the construction of all the old peasant houses, often as beams or as a decorative element. All kinds of wild cacti also give a rustic and dry aspect to the vegetation. The small size of Formentera (less than 85 km²) and its low relief explain the very particular nature of its vegetation, which is very similar to that of Menorca. There is a variety of very small pine trees and some species of fruit trees, mainly fig trees, but also almond trees.
Posidonia, treasure of the seabed
Posidonia oceanica is not an alga, but a flowering plant that, nearly 100 million years ago, adapted from the terrestrial environment to the oceanic environment. Endemic to the Mediterranean, they form what are called "meadows" or "sea grass" of posidonia. Considered as real "ecosystem engineers", they play an essential ecological role in the Mediterranean coastline. Although they cover a large part of the Mediterranean, the Posidonia meadows that are concentrated in the Ses Salines Nature Reserve, between Ibiza and Formentera, are among the best preserved. Posidonia is a real lung of the sea and a major source of oxygenation of the water, which is favorable to the biodiversity of its ecosystem. It is said that one square meter of posidonia produces more oxygen than one square meter of Amazonian forest!
The United Nations has proclaimed 2017 as the "International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development". It is in this context that the "Save Posidonia Project" was born, a pioneering project of participatory financing for the conservation of the Mediterranean Posidonia. Each participant can become the "sponsor" of one square meter or more of Posidonia (1 €/m²). The funds raised are therefore entirely dedicated to the preservation of this very special flora.
