page_title: Calvià
section_title: Flora and fauna
hierarchical_section_title: Calvià / Geography / Flora and fauna
caption_attribution_description: English: Orange mushroom (maybe Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca of the family Hygrophoropsidaceae, or possibly an Omphalotus olearius, family of Omphalotaceae) found at Serra de Tramuntana in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
context_page_description: Calvià is a municipality on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is located in the southwestern part of the island of Majorca, between the Serra de Tramuntana and the Serra de Na Burguesa. The municipal seat is the town of Vila Calvia.
  Calvià has an approximate area of 145 km². It is bordered on the north by the municipalities of Puigpunyent and Estellencs, Palma de Mallorca, the island's capital to the east, Andratx to the west and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea.
  According to the 2008 census, the municipality had a population of 50,777 inhabitants, of whom 18,046 were foreigners. Today, it is the second most populated area of the entire archipelago Balearic after Palma, and also an area that has the largest number of tourists in the islands. Its population is scattered around the different urban centers created as a result of tourism development and twentieth century urbanization.
context_section_description: More than 49% of Calvià's 14,552 hectares (35,960 acres) consists of woods and garrigues (low, soft-leaved scrubland), with pines as the dominant trees, although there has been some deforestation in recent decades. Cultivable land amounts to about 32% of the municipality; the main crops are almonds, carob (Ceratonia siliqua), olives and, to a lesser extent, figs. There is also still some farming of cereals and grains.
  Although the area has a harsh climate with few natural resources it is also densely populated by humans and there are relatively few populations of wild animals. The most notable zones for fauna are the rocky shore and the islands of Cala Figuera (Figuera Cove), such as El Toro, the islet of Refeubetx and the group of islets known as the Malgrats. This area has international recognition by the European Commission as a Special Protection Area for birds. In 2008, a diver in this reserve sighted and photographed a monk seal (Monachus monachus); it is believed that no more than 500 monk seals survive in the entire world. The Balearic government has studied the possibility of reintroducing monk seals to the islands.
  Local native plant species include holm oak (Quercus ilex) and various pine species. There are over 1,000 animal species; notable among them are the seabirds Cory's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), various cormorants (Phalacrocorax), the common swift (Apus apus), and the Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) as well as numerous reptiles, such as the endemic Lilford's wall lizard (Podarcis lilfordi) found on several of the islets of the archipelago. The islets are also home to one of Spain's few colonies of Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni; other colonies are in Murcia and Almería).
  Although the vegetation on the cliffs is sparse, it merits special interest as a habitat for endemic plant species such as the perennial herb Hippocrepis balearica, and Dianthus alpinus, whose Spanish-language names variously designate it as the "cliff carnation", "forest carnation" or "Mediterranean carnation". The cliff also provides a habitat for birds, especially raptors such as Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) and osprey (Pandion haliaetus) as well as the world's only remaining insular cinereous vultures (black vulture, Aegypius monachus). Also worthy of mention, if only for gastronomical reasons, are two species of snail, Cornu aspersum and Helix pomatia.
  Among the fungi, the autumn rains bring out the reproductive structures of the mushrooms. Of particular note is  Lactarius sangifluus, known locally as esclata-sang. This Lactarius is much appreciated for its singular flavor, and figures prominently in the local cuisine.
  The forest plants of the region can be divided into four groups:
  Herbaceous plants: the most common of these are nettles, fiddle dock (Rumex pulcher), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare); heather(Calluna vulgaris) can also be found. Five endemic species of Limonium have evolved in the salty soils of Magalluf. In the garrigue of Santa Ponsa are several varieties of orchid (Orchis collina).
  Shrubs: the most common shrub is the Mediterranean buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus), but there are also rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis),  thyme, a species of rock rose (Cistus albidus) several species of asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius, Asparagus albus, Asparagus officinalis), and common ivy (Hedera helix). Protected species include Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), myrtles, and Phoenicean juniper (Juniperus phoenicea).
  Ferns: ferns of the Polypodium genus can be found in cooler or more shaded areas.
  Trees: the most common tree in the region's forests is Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis). These are plagued by a moth known as the pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa). A special brigade targets this moth, setting traps and destroying their nests. In the northern part of the province, although in lesser measure, there is holm oak (Quercus ilex), white poplar (Populus alba), narrow-leafed ash (Fraxinus angustifolia), and strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.).
caption: Orange mushroom from the Sierra de Tramuntana.
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