flora and fauna

Fauna

The Vanoi valley abounds in numerous spices of fauna, many quite rare; this fact is due to both the isolation and variation found in this environment.

The most widespread animals are the hoofed ungulates such as red deer, found again in the Forests of Paneveggio after their reintroduction, there are also roe deer and chamois.

There are minor predators like foxes, stoats, pine martin and then white hares, marmots, squirrels and other small rodents.

Amongst the alpine birds there are capercaillie, mountain pheasant, ptarmigan and hazel hens.

As to birds of prey the magnificent golden eagle, kestrels, goshawks, sparrow hawks and nocturnal birds such as the eagle owl, tawny owl, small owl and the red capped owl. Woodpeckers are also worth noting along with thrushes, warblers, chaffinches, blackbirds and alpine tree-creepers. Amphibians found here are newts, frogs, salamanders and reptiles like vipers, adders etc.

Flora

There is a great variety of flora.

In these magnificent forests which are mainly coniferous, Norway spruce are found together with beech, maple, ash and rowan trees.

Various flowers can be seen such as campanula, rhododendrons and plants traditionally used here in medicines like gentians, arnica and thistle.

Greatly sought after are the small wild fruits (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, bilberries) and delicious wild mushrooms, though picking is now strictly controlled by the local authorities of Canal San Bovo.

Woods and forestry

The Vanoi Valley forests, which are important both economically and environmentally, change their aspect constantly as one climbs from the valley up to the mountains.