Discover the biodiversity of Pelješac!

Did you know that Pelješac is a habitat of more than 1100 species of plants?!

The Pelješac plant world is extremely diverse, abounding with low vegetation and macchia such as the strawberry tree, heather, cade juniper, terebinth, green olive tree and the kermes oak. The most widespread trees are the evergreen oak, common oak, Aleppo pine, cypress and Dalmatian black pine.

Pelješac has an exceptional composition of rare, endangered and endemic plant types and vegetation. It abounds in edible, wild plants (fennel, strawberry tree with its starchy fruits, sorb tree, wild asparagus, sea fennel which grows along the coast) and numerous medicinal plants (Roberts geranium, sticklewort, lavender, sage, heather, immortelle, thyme …). The slopes of Sv. Ilija (St. Elias), the mountain above Orebić, are one of the richest sites of several wild orchid species in Croatia. In any season on the mountain, we can find a flower in bloom, and especially in May and June, when the rocks, forests and meadows are richly carpeted in various coloured flowers.

The jackal is a native of Pelješac and its largest beast, the wild boar also lives here, hunters brought moufflons here in the 1970s, and wild horses also used to live here. This is also a habitat for rabbits, wild rabbits, field mice, dormouse, martens, weasels, shrews and bats and mongoose, which were subsequently brought there and are a natural enemy of snakes.

Reptiles are also widespread over the entire peninsula: lacertas, the European green lizard, geckos, the European glass lizard and turtles. The biggest reptile in this area is the four-lined snake, and other snakes include the Aesculapian snake, grass snake, European ratsnake and the horned viper, the most venomous snake of Dalmatia.

Pelješac is also the habitat of numerous birds. The golden eagle comes in the spring, the white-tailed eagle can often be seen doing the rounds, as can the Northern goshawk

and falcons, the Eurasian sparrowhawk and the common buzzard. Spring is also announced by the cuckoo, turtle dove, Eurasian hoopoe, Sylvia warblers and other small birds. In the fall some quail land here, and in the winter thrushes, robins, finches, tits and an occasional woodcock. Seagulls are the most famous permanent residents of Pelješac and a symbol of marine landscapes.

The best way to get to know the pristine nature of Pelješac is if you go hiking. We suggest going to Sv. Jura above Potomje, ascending to Sv. Ilija, one of the most attractive mountaineering peaks, or perhaps going for a walk around Nakovanj.

You can download a printed mountaineering map at the Orebić infocentre or use an interactive map containing route descriptions and GPX records on www.peljesacoutdoor.hr

Have fun responsibly and respect the nature of Pelješac. Take away memories, leave only your prints!

Source: www.nakovana.hr and the journal Peliško slovo