Flora and Fauna

Herbs and natural remedies

The rich ecosystem of Zakynthos provides the ideal base for an alternative type of holiday. A chance to make your stay even more pleasant amongst the hundreds of types of plants, flowers and trees that cover the whole island, each one adding its own aesthetic brushstroke to the huge canvas of natural beauty.

Homer referred to Zakynthos as ‘Yliessa’ which means ‘forest land’ due to the vast areas of vegetation and endless fertile carpets of woods and forests. Hundreds of types of animals and birds inhabit the island and there are countless migratory birds that visit throughout the year, mainly in spring and autumn, such as hawks, falcons, pigeons, ducks and other marine birds.

According to Greek ornithological records, of the 422 different kinds of birds who visit or inhabit nationally, only a small amount haven’t actually been spotted here at some time. Most of the birds aren’t permanent residents of the island but live here seasonally, usually for long periods of time. Over 579 different kinds of fish are known to exist in the Mediterranean, most of which can be found in the waters surrounding the coastline of Zakynthos.

The islands wild vegetation provides a great amount of herbs, plants and fruits that have therapeutic properties. These have been known to prevent certain illnesses, aid longevity and some are even said to be great aphrodisiacs.

Programme

• Visit the parklands and walk amongst the natural flora and fauna, see for yourselves some of the many kinds of vegetation and wildlife that exist here.
• Visit the Helmi’s Natural History Museum
• Visit The Tsivouli Park, an emu breeding farm, here you can also see various small
  animals that inhabit the island.
• Learn about the herbs of Zakynthos and their many therapeutic properties