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Wildlife in Corsica
The Corsica has several wildlife species threatened or endangered. This high proportion of endemics is mainly due to isolation, rather old, the microcontinent Corso-Sardinian and the remarkable diversity of habitats in this mountainous island.
The Corsican Sheep (a MUVR)
A poem ... (So much so that many singers have a song, some even have been inspired to find a group name, like "I MUVRINI" ...).
In true "king of the island, this kind of ungulate Ovis, for an average of 30 to 60 kg, is probably derived from a sheep in the Middle East and lives in Corsica since the Neolithic.
Long "poached" is not over now that hundreds of people who owe their survival to the two sanctuaries and Bavella Cintu.
Prohibited from hunting since 1955, he took refuge in the rugged mountains to open and in forests where the mountains are too snowy.
Primarily herbivorous, you may be lucky to see one with a good pair of binoculars in upwind areas cited above.
Courage and above all, patience ...
The boar (u Cignali)
Ah, the wild boar!
It could be on the Corsican flag that it does not shock anyone!
Another emblematic figure of the island of beauty, he was immortalized with "Asterix in Corsica" not so long. 
Hunting wild boar in Corsica is a veritable institution.
So if you see someone on the roadside in fatigues with a rifle in hand, no it is not a secret!
Often beaten by the "posts" (place where the boar is likely to pass) are located along the road!
The legendary boar is actually a powerful and robust cousin of the wild pig.
Her dress is dark, legs are short, he is stocky and has a low ridge.
The male also has two short tusks that can be dangerous in some battles against dogs or beaten during the mating season from November to December.
It feeds on acorns, chestnuts, roots, fruits, truffles unearth it with his snout in tilling the earth, which gives the meat that taste very authentic.
Males are solitary, fast and powerful, the females live in groups with their piglets (which recognizes their "striped pajamas").
The pig (u Porcu)
Too often confused with wild boar because of similar morphology, the "Corsican pig," as some call it (history of circumventing the ban on selling off the boar hunting season in restaurants ...), is recognizable by its attitude and color: his coat is much darker than that of wild boar and wild behavior much less.
You will often wander to the entry of forests and villages, snout glued to the ground in search of roots or edible garbage!
The Donkey Corsican (u Sumeru)
"Chi nasce mulu a more cavallu (who was born horse mule dies) ...
Widely used in the sixties and then virtually disappeared from the island (do not use excessive breeding for meat), donkey Corsican gradually found today a population respectable and respected status.
Indeed, once used for its robustness in transporting food and agricultural work, the donkey is now highly sought after for the walk (often profit by the way) or simply as a pet.
It is not uncommon to see in the local press: "A donkey has been stolen!
?
!
"...
Fox (a Volpe)
"A volpe lose my pele u u viziu May" (the fox loses his hair but never vice)!
This carnivorous mammal of the family Canid is a nightmare for farmers chickens and other poultry as it is swift and vicious.
I will spare you all the expressions that illustrate these remarks.
It is easily recognized by its reddish color, long bushy tail, his ears "Pinzuti (sharp ...) his thin legs and long snout.
The Cursinu
The Cursinu is a dog race corse, it is hardy, robust and versatile to be deemed: shepherd, guardian and hunter.
To recognize him: her dress is dark and speckled color red, her hair is short, its nose is wide and dark, its muzzle pyramid and her lips are thin.
At withers males are 46 to 58 cm, females, 3 cm below.
Today there are about 2 000 on the entire territory, for over 20 years (1984) passionate fight for its preservation and recognition of race (obtained in 2003).
So if you come across one, please do not believe, as some Jack Palmer in The Corsican Investigation, it is a "right bastard" ... it might offend!
The hedgehog (u Ricciu)
This small mammal that looks like it from the prehistory, saw the night.
With its little paws to 5 fingers, his snout and snout black, its uniqueness lies in his hair, soft underneath, they become thorns on other body parts.
Sort of defense system against predators, u Ricciu time was greatly appreciated by the former for its taste ...!
He was chased but not often picked up injuries on the roads.
To cook his body was smeared with clay and placed in the oven, once cooked, the shell thus formed stood a block with the thorns!
The bearded vulture (the ALTORE)
"He who dwells in the heights ..." is also one of the largest birds in Europe with 2.80 m wingspan of 6 kg!
10 nesting pairs were recorded in Corsica, which is not negligible given the threat of extinction hanging over this case.
Its food consists mainly of bones of carcasses of dead animals.
The timing of the feast is also quite impressive to watch as it is true that the bone marrow that interests these great vultures.
Thus the larger bones will literally "smashed" on the so-called swivel - slabs of flat rocks - a spectacular height.
We understand now why Altore is dependent on the migration of herds of pastoral and mountain sheep population of the island.
The osprey (the Alpana)
Thanks to the efforts of the Parc Naturel Régional de Corse (PNRC) and the existence of the reserve of Scandola, this remarkable species increased from 4 couples in 1970 to nearly 35 today.
Greenhouses capable of capturing prey most slippery and sharp eyesight are the prey of the white body and dark wings a formidable fisherman!
It is a diurnal raptor that feeds - you will understand - only fish.
The peregrine falcon (u falcu)
Silhouette typical flight flapping and jerking fast, gray, alert to every movement of a pigeon or a Chough (crow-like), are the main criteria for recognizing a peregrine falcon in Corsica .
Hunter ruthless, loyal in love, swift as the wind, there are a hundred pairs of this predator supersonic Corsica, most living on the West coast, the interior houses one or two pairs per valley.
A couple has recently been identified in Caporalino (common Omessa), classified site "Natura 2000" and will be the scene of an observatory of the peregrine falcon in the tower itself Caporalino (it's an ongoing project).
The golden eagle (the altagna)
Its population is estimated at about thirty pairs distributed along the central chain in the Cap Corse and Castagniccia.
It is a diurnal raptor with a wingspan of 2 m to 2.5 m, it feeds on small mammals and medium size (reptiles foxes), you'll recognize his flight absolutely magnificent!
The kite (u filanciu)
The color is reddish brown to thin and bent wings, it has a forked tail and a wingspan of about 1.50m. It feeds on small prey and carrion it finds in the wide open spaces, hovering in the wind.
Milan
The Corsican nuthatch of (a Picchjarina)
There are about 3 000 today.
It is a small passerine (12.5 cm) compact body with a short tail and small feet with a long spout and narrow end.
Gray on the back and whitish on the underside (the evil with black cap), the nuthatch lives between 800 and 1 800 meters almost exclusively in the cold forests of pine Laricci the interior of the island (and Tartagine Ospédale ) whose seeds form the bulk of his meal.
Given the limited habitat in which it operates, its population is not large (of the order of several thousands) and is currently the subject of a conservation program of the species with the PNRC and the NFB Presents on the island for thousands of years, the Corsican nuthatch sees its habitat increasingly threatened by the flames, so much so that the numbers have dropped from 50 to 60% from 2002 to 2004!
The Blackbird (u hake) and thrush (a trizzina)
Very popular in Corsica, the blackbird and thrush are popular for their unique taste. These feeding largely arbutus and myrtle, their flesh has a very pronounced flavor of scrub. Thrush, "Turdus viscivous, measuring an average of 27 cm, has a light brown body and spotted breast, the robin," Turdus merula ", has for its black plumage and orange beaks, size does not exceed 25 cm. They are found in many arbutus trees, myrtles and junipers, which, along with earthworms, most of their meals.
The bluebird (a Merula Turchina)
It is found from coast to 1 800 meters above sea level in the cliffs with little vegetation, very often in the Cap Corse and the West Coast.
Like most birds breeding at high altitude who descend in winter to the coast, you can find the bluebird this period in some towns and villages.
The Hermann's tortoise (a cuppulata)
Formerly widespread in the world is today one of the rarest reptiles in France, it is also protected by law as endangered.
It is recognized by its size - about 20cm - and her orange-striped black, she lives mainly in the bush.
A true living fossil, its origins go back more than a million years!
It can live for 100 years.
Unfortunately, despite the feat of passing through the ages, it is now threatened by human folly: repeated fires, burn-beating, excessive urbanization, habitat destruction and possible pickup by people uninformed or malicious parameters are indisputable its eventual demise!
Therefore, its preservation is essential to a collective awareness!
The turtle pond turtle (a cistudine)
Otherwise known as the "mud turtle" she loves swamps and large rivers.
Feeding on insects, carrion, fish and worms, it is also able to dive underwater and stay there for more than half an hour to escape an intruder or a predator.
This little turtle family Emydidae is reflected particularly in the area of Corte, Ponte-Leccia and along the coast.
The lizard or Tyrrhenian tiliguerta (a Buciartula)
It is stained dark green, measuring approximately 20 cm and is endemic to Corsica and Sardinia.
It lives mainly on the coast but also up to 1 800 meters above sea level, its habitat is a dry sunny where vegetation is low.
Le Porte-queue de Corse (a Farfalla)
3 to 4 cm can be seen flying from April to July to 2000 meters. It is a butterfly-Sardinian cyrno which seems to float rather than fly ... an unbearable lightness!
Little Bat (u Topu Pinnutu)
Occupying the caves and abandoned sheep is one of the smallest bats existing Corsican (20 to 30 cm wide for only 4 to 7 grams) among the 20 species living there.
bat
The Corsican Brook Salamander (a Tarentella)
With special breathing through the skin and mouth (it has no lungs, it is an endemic amphibian of about 5 to 7 cm), it moves underwater merchant responsible despite its flat tail allowing it to swim (it's a Rebel!).
It is found almost everywhere in Corsica from the sea to the mountains.
The frog (a Ranoghja)
It is green, small, measuring no more than 10 cm and with two yellow lines on each side and with a median black spot. Rana esculenta, its scientific name, is especially at low altitude but it is not uncommon to find up to 600 meters. Absolutely essential elements of wet and marshy, e Ranoghje are those that you sing dozens inimitable their music at sunset, to rock your summer nights ...
The Malmignatta
Only animal deadly Corsica, Malmignatta is part of the 53 spiders endemic to Corsica on the 373 different species.
It is found until mid-mountain at 600 meters in the grass and hidden under stones.
To recognize it is a short-legged spider, its abdomen is large (up to 2.5 cm in diameter) and covered with shiny black feathers spotted with red.
It is equipped with two powerful hooks on each side of the jaw, which releases after the bite the powerful venom.
What is found beneath the sea ...
"Corsica, a paradise for fishing and scuba diving ..." and could read a sign of old village entrance, Tizzano in this case. Imagine now how the world of silence in Corsica is a happiness for him who ventures into the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean. The most common fish are:
The conger eels and:
Needle sea conger, moray eel is in turn much more aggressive and ferocious.
Short and elongated up to 2 meters for the eel is a fish that hides the flaw in his day, leaving just its jaws appear to go out hunting at night!
Grouper:
Caution is therefore a protected species prohibited hunting.
It can measure up to 1.5 meters, you'll know it by its appearance of old sea wolf in the lower lip spotted with white.
It is a very sociable fish and you'll get a lot easier to approach him, he lives mostly in holes.
The mullet, the rainbow wrasse, the Sarrans, the scorpion, the capon
Living most commonly around rocks and seaweed, they are very popular in the legendary fish soup Corsica.
The Mosteller, the labrum, the St. Peter's, CORBA, Saupe, seabream, dentex, sea bream, strong,
These are fish that are found primarily on sand.
Crustaceans:
Crab, lobster lobster, hermit crabs, slipper lobster and squat lobster less present in Corsica and more and more survivors in the depths he is only listening to the stories of grandparents and great great parents who make us dream with their stories of lobsters caught in hand ... when you know that finding a lobster today it is down to 50 or 100 meters deep, it quickly becomes aware of damage that may have been cause pollution, overfishing and poaching in all genres!
Sea urchins ...
Today the sea urchin fishing is a tradition in Corsica - with family or friends it is great to be back on the beach for a good oursinade Sunday - and it is possible that our children and grand children not believe us when we speak of their magnificent sea urchins caught only a few meters from the edge ... to think about!
You will also find many molluscs such as cuttlefish, octopus with eight tentacles, large pearl (rare) which is protected and can measure up to 1 meter planted in the sand, and finally the delicious SaintJacques shells.
The famous coral red Corsica
Many shops and artisans (we can even talk to artists in this particular case with such material!) Make their main attraction! (See for each region stores concerned). The coral is red and hard consistence decorated white polyps, it is caught between 80 and 100 meters deep. Coral is increasingly rare in Corsica, so much so that over time the size of its branches do little more than 10 cm and is not less than 50 meters deep in some places kept secret. To date there are only a few coral-Corsica likely to catch the precious red coral as expensive it is rare.
Also note that the coral Corsica is part of the traditions and beliefs. Today it is synonymous with protection and traditionally offered in several shapes and pendants in many occasions (with a hand coral thumb back or a hand making horns that were pinned to a garment or the Inside the baby carriage), particularly for birth order to protect the newborn from the "evil eye" (a kind of spell cast by jealousy).
What we found in the rivers ...
Macrostigma trout (trout)
Four trout inhabit the rivers of Corsica, "the rainbow" and 3 strains of trout "fario": "Atlantic" (imported), the "Mediterranean" (wild) and "macrostigma" (wild). Hometown torrents Corsican last 15 000 years, "salmo truita macrostigma" was listed "species of community interest" by Europe. It is small and strong pigmentation, is a big black spot on the operculum and changes appearance depending on the environment in which it operates. This is somehow in a race (without discrimination) of trout mainland. Perhaps we will unfortunately have to be witnesses of his death a day if the brown trout from the fish and rainbow trout arcen continue to be introduced. Too bad because his taste is exquisite! Fortunately, here and salute their efforts, passionate men have set up a program ( "Life Program") for the conservation of trout Macrostigma based on monitoring and artificial reproduction thereof. (For more here is an interesting link: http://www.lifemacrostigma.org/descriptionespece.php)
© Photo credits: Mark Cecchetti, Cyril VIENNA, GREGDESBOIS Luc VIATOUR Manfred Henfa, Mettmann, Nathalie Diaz, Richard Bartz, Stephanie BOUYRIE.
