Flora and the fauna of Madeira

On all the slopes, in the gardens and even along the roads, the flowers and the plants abound: hydrangeas, geraniums, hibiscuses, agapanthes, bougainvilleas, fuchsias, euphorbiums, but also orchises, anthuriums and strelitzias, cultivated for export.

Above 300 m, and up to 750 m, it is the hot moderate zone, of Mediterranean climate, field of the vine, cereals (corn, corn, oats) and of the fruits. The latter are varied: fruits of the European countries like exotic oranges, pears, apples, plums, and fruits, with the guavas, lawyers, mangos, pineapple and maracujàs (fruits of passion).

Between 750 and 1,300 m, one find the laurisylve, of which the origin goes back to the tertiary era, primarily made up of various species of bay-trees (lii, vinhático, laureiro) which reach sometimes 30 m in height, still populates some wild sectors of the northern coast.

This forest, which formerly recovered most of Europe, was destroyed by the glaciations and exceptionally preserved in some islands, such Madeira. Single, it today is entirely protected and known botanists of the whole world. She saw in a medium that she contributes to create, where moisture is constantly higher than 85%. Often in the clouds, it absorbs moisture and accumulates of it thus more water still than that brought by the rains, however important (between 1,500 mm and 3,000 mm per annum). She plays a central role in the protection of the grounds and the infiltration of rainwater, and makes it possible to slow down the effects of erosion.

It is thought that the various plant species present on the Madeira before the man puts the foot at it would have been brought in the form of seeds by the birds, the wind and the Ocean. One thus finds there species of ferns unknown in the rest of Europe, but present at the Antilles in particular.

As for the summits, above 1,300 m, they are the field of the pastures and the ferns.

Madeira shelters some varieties of spiders, the such lycose with the thick legs, whose size and the massive aspect really frighten. There is however few chances to meet her: she lives indeed in the areas most isolated and raised island and leaves only seldom in the course of the day. As for the malmignattes, only poisonous animals of the archipelago, they reside on Bridged of São Lourenço.

But, in all and for all, there exist only 36 species of birds nicheurs on the island (43 on the whole of the archipelago): tubes, falcons, sparrowhawks, larks, owls, goldfinches, wagtails gray and yellow, kinglets of Madeira, robins, Trocaz pigeons and especially the petrel of Madeira.

Let us note that the Trocaz pigeon exists only in Madeira and that it is enfeoffed with the forests of bay-trees of the northern coast of which it appreciates bays as well as cabbages in the cultures. Just like its medium, it is recently entirely protected.

But the many migrating ones make stopover, of which a small number of victims come from the American continent with the storms of the west.

The most known fish is without any doubt the espada (fish sabers, a kind of eel), this famous fish which one especially finds off Madeira and at sea of China.

Madeira counts few pets, and practically not of draft animal except for the few mules which still draw from the carts in the streets of Funchal, and of the oxen which one harnesses with these curious carriages of lazy kings for tourists, the acclimatization was never possible. Moreover it would have been vain: sometimes only the man can circulate and work in these fields in terraces, staged with the side of the abrupt mountains, and not broader than a path. One raises however cows, which live in cattle sheds with the thatched roof, the palheiros, when they do not graze the flowers at the edge of the roads; goats which run away themselves with the noise of the engines; some black sheep even more savage.

A species, although in theory protected, is that of the seal monk, decimated a long time by the fishermen and of which it does not remain any more that about twenty individuals along the Desertas islands. The animal was however well represented on the Madeira when the Portuguese unloaded there. The village of fishermen of Câmara de Lobos, i.e. the room of the wolves testifies some by its name. The first colonists were indeed impressed on their arrival by these animals, which they named of the old seamen.

Off the coasts of Madeira, one finds cachalots and other species of marine mammals. Today, these endangered species all are practically protected. A cachalot female measures on average 11 m and can reach 18 m length.

Of all the species of whales, the cachalot, which can reach some 3 m depths, is the champion of the diving. As of the 16th century, one fished the whale in Madeira, in particular for his grease and his oil, used at medical and industrial ends. The meat and the bones were eaten or were used as manure. Amber was required for its scent, the oil of liver was consumed for its content of vitamin D. It is in Caniçal that one brought back then cut up the poor animals. The museum of this city recalls all this epopee very well.