Nature has always fascinated human being by the wonders and the mysteries it had hidden in its robe. Man ventured and gathered the jewels of nature only to capture it in the frames hanging in the wall or in the form of stuffed skins hanging above the mantle. Better late than never man realized the significance of the delicately balanced ecological system and the beauty of enjoying nature in its true natural form and started conserving the ecology. Among the amazing and magnificent parks of the globe the national park from Tuscany archipelago is one of its own kind enriched with its natural resources of flora and fauna.

The park consisting of seven islands has its own myth for its creation. The islands are believed to be the seven gemstone fell from the tiara of Venus when she emerged from the sea. The gems known to us by the name of Elba, Giglio, Capraia, Gorgona, Pianosa, Giannutri and Montecristo has an terrestrial area of eighteen thousand hectares and a marine area of almost sixteen thousand hectares making it the largest European marine park. It took almost four million years of movement of sea and land to shape up the present form of the park both geologically and ecologically. The present form is one to be relished and thrilled with the nature showing its gifts of wonders in their proper dignity. Its better to be in the park and talk directly with Mother Nature to know the treasure locked in the park.

The sea certainly has her say in deciding the climate of the park. The typical Mediterranean climate strongly influences Tuscan Archipelago with traces of humidity even in summers, which are normally breezy. With rains wetting the land in the mid season the winters are rather mild and winds shows typical of coastal characters. Rarest are the snowfall that one may encounter in the high peaks of Mt.Capanne.

There’s a significant role of the volcanoes in the creation of the island of archipelago as evident from the island of Capraia, creation of a series of nine million years ago eruption. Gorgona however is a metamorphic rock creation. Montecristo and Giglio are granite based and Pianosa a build of sedimentary rock. The Giannutri is the child of dolomitic – limestone sediments. Mt.Capanne the highest point of archipelago nests in island of Elba, which majorly consists of granite. It has splendid crystallization of tourmaline, quartz and aquamarine.

Established as a marine park of its own kind, the park is characterized by its varied habitat populated by still varied forms of life. Such kind of diversity can be attributed to the amazing coastline and seabeds of the park. To meet few of our inhabitants we have the Limpets “Patella rustica "and “P.caerulea” in the tidal waters between rocks along with barnacles quite away from the sea anemone residing at the edge of the tide. Among the seaweed the exclusive of archipelago are the Neptune’s shaving brush “Penicillus capitatus” and the fan shaped “Padina pavonica”. The other life forms like sea – urchins, starfish, sea – ears “Haliotis lamellose” and “octopus vulgaris” are also prominent in these areas. One can see the wonderful sea cows “P.aristotelis” dry their wings near the cormorants along with many species of fishes. To name some we have the common rainbow wrasse “Coris julis”, the two banded bream “Diplodus vulgaris”, the damsen “Chromis chromis” and the red mullet. The seabed is covered with the lush prairies of Posidonia oceanica. Among its tufts one may discover the rare sea horse or Hippocampus hippocampus. And the deep sea promises you the sight of red coral, sponges and the marvelous sea-fans “Eunicella cavolinii”. Clefts and trenches are certainly the place for the moray “Muraena Helena”, the brown grouper “Epinephelus marginatus”, the lobster, and the bass. Off course the common aquatic wonders are available equally in magnitude starting from the dolphins, to the tuna, swordfish, sperm whale, and the sunfish.

Talking about the vegetations Tuscan archipelago has its own treasure of wonders. Much influenced with the tropical climate the flora is dominated with evergreen plants with coriaceous leaves with a tough epidermis. When ventured in Giglio, Elba and Gorgona you cannot overlook the great holm-oak forest the beauty of which will spellbound you for several moments. Elba also conserves the chestnut wood and the rare fern “Osmunda regalis. Climbing up the Mt.Capanne you will be dazzled to watch the beautiful yew tree, and the hophornbeam. Pinewoods found their habitat in Gorgona and Elba whereas the cork oak grows in the island of Capraia. The most dominating plant life form one may interact are the fragrant Mediterranean macchia with its varied species forms such as arbutus, juniper, myrtle, heathers, rosemary, lavender and strawflower.

The sky of Tuscan archipelago nests some of the amazing creatures to be appreciated by all class of bird watchers. Elba and Capraia boast the existence of the great pilgrim falcon “Falcon peregrinus brookei”. Talking about more treats to the birdwatcher are the various types of swallows and swifts, the colonies of shearwaters, the wall creepers, the herring gull and the rare red partridge which exist in various parts of the Islands of Archipelago. The greatest treat perhaps is the presence of the colonies of the rare Corsican seagull, which happen to be the largest of its kind in the globe and has, thus became the symbol of the park.

Not only do Archipelago shelters the common plant and animal species but it also has space for the endemic species to be taken care with motherly affection. To name a few of our rare friends we have the gastropods molluscs, the elban butterfly, cricket, lizard, viper, the alpine accentor, the tyrrhenian tree toads and the gecko, the pine marten, the wild rabbit, the boar, the Mt.Capanne cornflower, the yellow orchid, the toad flax, the aquatic buttercup, the canes and the Sardinian mountain goat to name some.

Are you still reading the article? I am sure you would have started packing your baggage and jungle gears for the exiting, romantic and one time experience trip to the gods crafted islands of Tuscan Archipelago. Bon voyage amigos.