Italian at Heart

I call him Snuffles because, from what I’ve read about badgers, they leave shallow, cone-shaped pits called “snuffle holes” in lawns or dirt where they dig (or snuffle) for food, such as grubs, worms, and roots.

We’ve found plenty of these holes, and heard badger noises at night. Badgers are kind of cute, and from what I understand, they’re not usually aggressive toward people. I’d really like to catch a glimpse of him!

Hubby says it’s best to just leave wild animals alone and keep our distance. But then again, he’s quite irate at our visiting badger, who keeps wreaking havoc in our garden. 😠

Snuffles is quite strong and breaks through the barricade gate that Hubby has put up. He also moves large rocks and overturns big pots. So far, he has killed our snapdragon and lavender plants. He ate the roots, leaving only the desolation of dead plants behind him.

As I said, I’d at least like to see him. Hubby says he’d like to see him too – but I think his motiviations are slightly different than mine. 😉

Did you know that Italy has badgers? Are you curious about what other wildlife inhabits Italy?

Italian Wildlife (Fauna)

Italy and its surrounding waters are home to over 57,000 species of fauna. The region has the highest level of faunal biodiversity in Europe. This is likely due to its diverse geography, which includes the Alps and the Apennines mountain ranges, woodlands in central Italy, and shrublands in the south.

This post will not cover marine life, reptiles, or amphibians. We’ll save those for another post!

Wild Mammals in Italy

Italy is a biodiversity hotspot for mammals. It is home to approximately 119 species, some of which are endemic meaning they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. [Endangered species are marked with an asterisk (*).]

• Bears: *Marsican Brown Bear and Eurasian Brown Bear
• Canines: Italian Wolf, Golden Jackal, and Red Fox
• Sheep, goats, and deer: *Italian Red Deer, Roe Deer, *Corsican Red Deer, Fallow Deer, Mouflon Sheep, Ibex Goat, and Appenine Chamois (goat-antilope animal)
• Swine: Wild Boar (Cinghiale)
• Wildcats: *European Wildcat, *Sardinian Wildcat, and *Eurasian Lynx
• Rodents & other small mammals: Vole, Marmot, Mouse, Rat, Squirrel, Stoat, Weasel, Polecat, Badger, Otter, Marten, Hare, Rabbit, Hedgehog, Mole, Shrew, *Garden Dormouse, and Crested porcupine.
• Flying mammals: At least 30 species of bats; 3 are endangered.
• Marine Mammals: 2 whales (both endangered) and 5 dolphins (3 are endangered).

Wild Birds in Italy

Italy boasts an impressive avian biodiversity, with over 550 species of birds. This diversity is due to the country’s varied ecological zones and its location along the central Mediterranean migration route. The peninsula serves as a crucial “bridge” between Africa and Northern Europe for migrating birds.

• Migratory Birds: Every year, millions of migratory birds travel through Italy flying between Europe and Africa via the major flyways, such as the Strait of Messina and the Tyrrhenian coast.
• Year-round residents: About 90 to 100 bird species are present in Italy year-round.
• Birds that winter in Italy: Millions of birds also migrate from harsher northern climates to spend the winter in Italy every year.
• Accidental Birds: Because Italy is located at the intersection of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, many “accidental bird sightings” have been recorded. This occurs when a wild bird appears far outside its normal geographic range or migration path.

Garden and forest birds:

Birds of the open country and farmland:

Birds of prey:

Water birds:

Insects in Italy

Italy’s beneficial insect species

Of Italy’s 37,000 insects many are beneficial because they function as pollinators, natural pest control, and decomposers/nutrient cyclers. These include: Bees (1000 species), Hoverflies, Butterflies, Moths, Wasps, Ladybirds, Lacewings, Ground Beetles, Praying Mantis, Cicada, Beetles, Ants, and Flies.

Butterflies and moths in Italy

Italy has the largest number of butterfly and moth species in Europe with 290 butterflies and 4,950 moths. 4 of these are endangered.

One of Italy’s most fascinating moths is the Hummingbird Hawk Moth. This day-flying moth is often mistaken for a hummingbird because it hovers in place while using its long, straw-like proboscis to drink nectar from tube-shaped flowers.

Harmful, dangerous, or annoying insects

The Mediterranean climate supports several notorious biting and agricultural pests, particularly during the warmer summer months.

• Agricultural and Plant Pests: Agricultural fruit flies, Chestnut Gall Wasp, Spittlebugs, Stink Bugs.
• Human Pests and Biters: Mosquito, Tiger Mosquito, Tick, Sandfly, Horsefly, Midge, Black Fly, Bed Bug, and Bethylid Wasp (or Flat Wasp).

Keep your eyes peeled!

Italy’s diverse wildlife stems from its varied ecological zones, the warm Mediterranean Sea which moderates the climate, and the high mountain ranges of the Alps and Apennines. Animals find safe shelter in the cold snowy peaks, wet river deltas, thick green woods, and along the dry southern coasts. As you explore Italy, keep your eyes peeled! You never know what you might see!

Photo credits: Garden Dormouse by Arno Laurent | Wolves by Luigi Filice | All others are from Canva, used according to their Content License Agreement.