Corfu Nature

In April and May the ground is a carpet of flowers, changing colour from day to day. The fields and hills are rich  with trees  other than olives. One of the most eye-catching is the Kockikia tree which in spring is a mass of  purple flowers. Everywhere  the dark green cypress trees pierce the olive groves, adding yet another dimension  to the landscape.

The microclimate of Corfu favours the growth of wild flowers which bloom during all four seasons of the year.

        

Sidari is surrounded by a wealth of natural assets and, especially in the spring, the beauty of the Corfu   countryside can take   one's breath away. However, the most striking aspect of the landscape is the olive trees. There is a long river the way to Agios Ioannis , east of Sidari. The river is called tiflos and many fishes live in it. Along the river there are walk paths that one can walk and relax  through the green fields.

      

The Venetians offered money to plant olive trees and to replace wild ones with cultivated ones. Within a hundred years there were more than two million and this number has increased until today. Corfu is one endless olive grove. Because olive trees in Corfu are rarely pruned they look quite different from those in the rest of Greece, being much taller and wilder.

 

Fauna
A heaven on Earth , like the one of the Corfu archipelago, with luxuriant vegetation and the richest flora of all Mediterranean islands can only be host to a large number of animal species. In spite of the fact that the thick vegetation of the archipelago and malpractice in agriculture have decreased the populations of certain species, especially birds and small carnivorous animals, the wealth of the fauna here is remarkable . Nowadays, after almost a decade of implementation of sustainable policies the fauna seems to have recovered . Today, Corfu, Paxos and the Diapontian islands are meeting points for nature lovers .

Fauna

Corfu, Paxos, Othoni, Erikousa and Mathraki, with 6000 rare species of wild flowers, 55 species of wild orchid and tenths of aromatic and medicinal herbs , have got the richest flora of all islands in the Mediterranean Sea and are a real natural heaven . The wealth and the variety of the flaura and the fauna are due to the humid, warm climate , the high degree of precipitations, the soil conditions and  the geographic position of the islands , which make them   be the right place for plants both from Europe and from Africa. At Spring the islands look like endless gardens with flowers.
This season is ideal for walking and trekking in the rich network of paths. Barlia Robertianum Naked Man Orchid Mid-February is the blossom time of the first wild orchid Barlia Robertiana, while in the beginning of Spring the area is full of Anthemia chamomila. In Autumn we find wild cyclamens , sweet violets Viola Odorata, hyacinths Narcissus tazetta, iris Iris Unuicularis, liliesSternbergia lutea and crocuses Crocus Bowles, Crocus Pickwick, Crocus longiflorus etc.
Blue on sand From the sandy beaches with the lilies Pancratium maritimum to the cracks in the rocks on the steep slopes of Mount Pantokrator , Corfu offers to the lovers of nature and wild flowers a huge variety of beautiful and rare plants , impossible to come across on another island of the Mediterranean .

Birds
The geographical location of Greece, in southeastern Europe and at the crossroad of three continents, its climate and intense relief have all contributed to its rich birdlife. The country also comprises a meeting point for birds of Europe, Asia and Africa, and the distribution limit for many species which do not occur in Europe. Additionally, it also serves as bottleneck for passage migrants on their way from and to the south. So far, 449 species of birds have been recorded in Greece, a number expected to increase, as more people become involved in birdwatching. For more information about birdwatching in Corfu island contact us here