Italy: Animals

On the island of Gigli in Tuscany there are wild goats called mufloni (left). This kind of goat is very endangered. There are also rare frogs called Discoglossus Sardo. Among the birds found on the island are the Pellegrino hawk, the Imperial crow, the Royal seagull, the Corsican seagull and cormorants.

Abruzzo, another region of Italy, has several national parks. In Majella-Morrone National Park there are wolves, the Marsican brown bear (at right), chamois , red deer, roe deer, and 130 different kinds of birds including the rare Peregrine falcon, Golden eagle, goshawk, eagle-owl and a dotterel that nests only in this mountain in Italy.

There is a large rare butterfly called the Parnassus Apollo. Its wings are almost transparent, with spots edged in black and red.

It is a protected insect because it is endangered.

In the National Park of Gran Sasso-Laga in Abruzzo there are animals such as the Apennine Wolf (at right), wild cat, wild boars, squirrels, chamois and foxes. Birds of prey include the Buzzard, Peregrine falcon, Sparrowhawk and Golden eagle. There are birds such as the Great spotted woodpecker, Woodpigeon, Alpine Accentor and water and rock pipits. There are three different kinds of newt and the Paddled Salamander.

In the Pollino National Park in Calabria, there are many different species of animal, including the rare Royal eagle and the Capriol deer.

The Aspromonte National Park In Calabria is home to animals such as wolves, falcons, the Bonelli eagle and the Royal owl.

Migrating birds find the Mediterranean Sea a difficult barrier so they cross it in places that are not so wide. Many leave Africa and enter Europe across the Straits of Messina into Calabria. If you look at a map of the Mediterranean you will see that it is an easy place for migrating birds to reach. Many raptors (birds of prey such as eagles and falcons) are seen in spring, as well as Honey Buzzards, Black Kites, Marsh Harriers, kestrels and hobbies.

The birdlife in Calabria also includes the Black woodpecker, Bonelli eagle, Goshawk, Peregrine falcon, the Eagle owl (at left), sandpipers, redshank, the Collared pratincole and other wading birds and ducks.

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Italy (2004). [Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au

updated February 2004