Birdwatching

More than 1,400 naturally occurring species and subspecies of higher plants have been discovered on Lesvos, and the Bay of Kalloni is one of Greece’s unique wetlands containing more than 130 species of birds. This natural richness is owed in part to the variety of habitats, the quality of rock formations, the millennia of human impact, its abuttal with Asia Minor (Turkey), and its geologically recent separation from the eastern Aegean. Apparently, the island’s flora was of particular interest as far back as antiquity. Noteworthy plants include the yellow rhododendron that grows on the western side of the island (between Anemotia and Parakoila) near a conifer forest, pagona, sea lily, tsikoudia, iris, aplofyllo, alyssum, and numerous species of orchid found on Mt. Olympos. Also, many parts of the island have extensive olive orchards and dense forests of trachea pine, oak, fir, plane trees, beech and chestnut.Many amphibians, reptiles, birds and especially mammals fill the island’s forests, olive groves and mixed wood- and shrub-lands. Unique among these is the galia (squirrel), a beautiful little mammal found only on Lesvos. Also of interest are the island partridge or tsoukar and the black pelican.