Landscapes & Wildlife
For a growing number of visitors, Cyprus' one-of-a-kind flora and fauna is the number-one reason for a trip here. Tiny rare orchids bloom amid the hillside wildflowers in early spring. Turtles nest on the beaches in their thousands during summer. Endemic bird species, along with seasonal visitors, can be spotted in the high forests and lowland salt lakes. This rich biodiversity makes it a nature-lover’s paradise.
Lie of the Land
Cyprus is an ophiolite that rose from the sea 20 million years ago. Shaped like a swordfish, with its sharp tip and flared fins, it is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean.
In the North, the 170km-long Kyrenia (Girne) Range was formed by upward-thrust masses of Mesozoic limestone. Its most famous feature is the five-ridged peak known as Five-Fingers Mountain (Pentadaktylos, in Greek; Beşparmak, in Turkish) that runs practically parallel to the northern coastline.
Directly south of this mountain range is the vast Mesaoria plain (which means 'In Between Mountains' in Greek), which stretches from Morfou (Güzelyurt) in the west to Famagusta (Gazimağusa) in the east, with the divided capital of Nicosia (Lefkosia) and North Nicosia (Lefkoșa) at its middle. The plain has over 1900 sq km of irrigation and is the island’s primary grain-growing area.
Further south, the island is dominated by the vast range of the Troödos Mountains, created millions of years ago by rising molten rock in the deep ocean. It features the imposing Mt Olympus and its lower plateaus to the east. This area is rich in minerals and natural resources such as chromite, gypsum, iron pyrite, marble and copper. Mined for thousands of years, it was instrumental in the island’s development during ancient times.
National Parks & Reserves
The upgrading of natural areas to national-park status has steadily increased. The declared list of parks in the South includes Akamas National Forest Park, Pafos region; Troödos National Park, declared in 1992; Cape Greco and the Peninsula Bay, east of Agia Napa; Athalassa National Forest Park, west of Nicosia; Polemidia National Forest Park, near Lemesos (Limassol); Rizoelia National Forest Park, near Larnaka; and Tripylos Natural Reserve, east of Pafos, which includes the wonderful Cedar Valley.
There’s also one marine reserve: Lara Toxeftra Reserve, off the west coast near Lara, Pafos region, established to protect marine turtles and their nesting beaches.
In North Cyprus, 150 sq km of the Karpas (Kirpașa) Peninsula have been declared a national park. Environmentalists were successful in having the vulnerable and precious area protected from development. Rare marine turtles that nest on the beaches on both sides of the peninsula are now benefiting from this decision.
A Plethora of Plant Life
The diversity of Cyprus' flora is not immediately obvious to first-time visitors. After the explosion of colour from endemic flora and wildflowers in spring, summer sees the island assume an arid appearance, with only a few hardy flowers and thistles.
The island is home to some 1800 species and subspecies of plants, of which about 7% are indigenous to Cyprus. Five major habitats characterise Cyprus' flora profile: pine forests, garigue and maquis (underbrush found in the Mediterranean), rocky areas, coastal areas and wetlands. One of the main places for indigenous plant species is the Troödos Mountains, where around 45 endemic species can be found.
The Karpas Peninsula has a further 19 endemic species that are found only in the North.
Over 40 species of orchid can be found on the island; many of these, such as the rare Punctate orchid, can be spotted in the lap of the Kyrenia Range. The best time to see Cyprus' wildflowers is in early spring (February to March) or in late autumn (October to November), when most of the species blossom, taking advantage of the moister climate.
FLOWER POWER
For the best flower-spotting, enthusiasts will need to spend plenty of time trekking and searching, as many species are limited to small geographical areas. You’ll need to enjoy a ramble and be patient.
Casey’s larkspur This is a late-flowering species that carries a dozen or more deep-violet, long-spurred flowers atop a slender stem. Its habitat is limited to the rocky peaks 1.5km southwest of St Hilarion.
Cyprus crocus A delicate white and yellow flower from the iris family. An endangered species, it’s protected by law and is generally found at high altitudes in the Troödos Mountains.
Cyprus tulip Delicate and dark red, this is another rare, protected species found in the Akamas Peninsula, the Koruçam (Kormakitis) Peninsula and remote parts of the Kyrenia Range.
Orchids The most popular wildflowers for enthusiasts. The one endemic orchid, Kotschy’s bee orchid, is an exquisite species that resembles a bee, both in its shape and patterning. While fairly rare, it’s found in habitats all over the island. Other varieties found on the slopes of Mt Olympus include the slender, pink Troödos Anatolian orchid, the cone-shaped pyramidal orchid, the giant orchid and the colourful woodcock orchid.
St Hilarion cabbage This unlikely sounding beauty grows in the North, mainly on rocky outcrops near St Hilarion Castle. This large endemic cabbage flower grows to 1m high and has spikes of creamy white flowers.
Troödos golden drop A member of the borage family, this is an endemic yellow bell-shaped flower appearing in leafy clusters. Another endangered species, it’s confined to the highest peaks of the Troödos Mountains.
Environmental Awareness
This beautiful island is unfortunately beset with environmental issues. True, some of its environmental concerns stem from tourism, but there is also the much deeper issue of littering on streets and beaches, and garbage dumping on roadsides. Industrial waste, fridges, rubble and all sorts of debris are often dumped in forests and near natural salt lakes.
In an attempt to remedy this situation, the Republic's government has responded with advertisements encouraging people to put rubbish in bins and stop discarding cigarette butts on beaches, and by introducing recycling points. On a more grassroots level, educational programs have been launched in primary schools to encourage the next generation to be more aware of their environment and the benefits of recycling. Local councils have joined in, providing skips near and around natural habitats where dumping regularly occurs. Positive actions such as these are providing new hope and putting a much-needed focus on the issue.
Water, Water, Everywhere...
A significant ongoing issue for the island is the shortage of water. Population growth, mismanagement of underground aquifers and years of drought, which depleted water reserves in dams and reservoirs, have all added to Cyprus suffering a severe water crisis.
Looking for a permanent and sustainable solution, the South opted to begin building desalination plants in the 1990s. There are now four installations (which each produce 40,000 cu metres of water per day) supplying over 50% of domestic water, and another being built.
In the North, the ambitious Northern Cyprus Water Supply Project became operational in October 2015. The project transports water from the Alaköprü Dam in Turkey to the Geçitköy Dam, near Kyrenia (Girne), via an 80km underwater pipeline, and cost 1.2 billion Turkish lira to implement.
Island Animals
Birds
Cyprus is a major overwintering stop on the north–south migration routes and is also home to two endemic bird species. The Cyprus warbler and Cyprus wheatear are found nowhere else in the world and many bird enthusiasts come to the island solely to tick them off their spotting list.
Although only approximately 50 species of birds are resident in Cyprus year-round, during the major Mediterranean migration period over 200 species utilise the island as one of their stops along the route.
October through to April are all good birding months but spring, particularly April, is peak time for birdwatching.
WHERE TO WATCH
Birds travelling between Africa and Europe use Cyprus as a stepping stone on their migratory path. Birdwatchers have an excellent window into both more exotic migratory species and local birds. Here are some of the best birdwatching locations on the island.
Larnaka Salt Lake An important migratory habitat that fills with flamingos and waterfowl from February to March. There are lookout posts (with seats) at various intervals along the airport road to Larnaka. You can also walk the nature trails around the lakes past the Hala Sultan Tekkesi mosque.
Troödos Mountains The ranges offer excellent vantage points along the many nature trails in the region. Take binoculars to catch the likes of griffon vultures, falcons and kestrels. One of the best birdwatching spots is the Kaledonia Trail, which showcases large amounts of Cyprus and Sardinian warblers and nightingales.
Cape Greco Peninsula In addition to being the home of wonderful sea caves, the cape, with its scrubland and rocky outcrops, is one of the prime migration zones for birds from across the seas. Expect to see a range of birds, from chukars and spectacled warblers to pallid harriers and red-rumped swallows.
Kyrenia Range Bonelli’s eagles nest amid the rugged rock faces and Cyprus warblers and wheatears are easy to spot. Sightings of black-headed bunting, spectacled warblers and blue rock thrush are common.
Famagusta Wetlands Like Larnaka Salt Lake in the South, the Famagusta wetlands in the North are home to a host of waterbirds. It's also the island's only glossy ibis breeding site. Likely sightings include pelicans, flamingos, Demoiselle cranes and spoonbills.
Mammals
While the most famous Cypriot wild animal is still the mouflon (the native wild mountain sheep), a scattering of twitchy wild donkeys can be seen on the Karpas Peninsula. They are believed to be descendants of the domesticated donkeys that escaped or were abandoned in 1974.
In the island’s differing forest environs you may also see smaller animals such as foxes, rabbits, hares, hedgehogs, squirrels and fruit bats.
Reptiles
The island’s dry, hot summer landscape is a natural home for lizards, geckos, chameleons and snakes, of which only the Montpellier snake and blunt-nosed viper are poisonous.
Lizards and geckos, in particular, pop up everywhere, sunbathing on rocks, ruins and concrete walls. Keep your eyes peeled to spot the particularly common, grey-green striped Troödos lizard and brown-yellow ocellated skink.
Sea Fauna
Cyprus' warm, clear waters are home to over 260 different kinds of fish, and the coves and underwater reefs along its coasts are teeming with sea-life such as corals, sponges, mussels and sea anemones, making it a haven for diving and snorkelling.
Schools of grouper, jack, tuna, barracuda, rays and parrotfish are commonly seen by divers here, while the seas surrounding the island are also home to moray eels, octopus, and green and loggerhead turtles.
Endangered Species
Mouflon are timid, nimble and skilled at climbing. The males have enormous curved horns and were hunted for sport by nobles in Lusignan times. By the early 20th century widespread shooting by farmers and hunters had nearly reduced them to extinction. However, awareness of the plight of the island’s national emblem increased, and now they are protected at sites such as Stavros tis Psokas forest station, in Pafos, which shelters a small herd. In the wild, mouflon are only found in remote parts of the mountain ranges and are rarely spotted.
Green and loggerhead turtles have bred and lived on Cypriot beaches for centuries, but tourism and beach development have encroached on vital nesting areas. They nest in the soft sands of the northern beaches in particular, which are now signed and closed at night (hatching times). Look out for conservation programs in coastal areas. Follow the rules, stick to allocated swimming times and plant your umbrellas as close to the water’s edge as possible to avoid crushing eggs.
Monk seals are rarely spotted off the coast and had been considered extinct as recently as 10 years ago. However, sightings off the eastern coast and at Cape Greco’s sea caves revived hope and a monitoring program was implemented in 2011. It's currently thought that a very small population of monk seals still survives in remote locations around the island’s shores.
