Extensive larch forests prevail in the Gruppo di Tessa Nature Park - the Val Senales valley is called “South Tyrol’s larch valley”
Image gallery: Flora and fauna
The 31,391 hectares big area of the nature park is home above all to those animals preferring a rather mild climate such as the crag martin - did you know that this is the most northern region the Eurasian crag martin is living in? Moreover you might see the European mantis, the red squirrel and the common raven. The area of the Gruppo di Tessa, or Texel Group Nature Park features an altitude difference of almost 3,000 meters.
Even such reptiles as the asp viper or the western green lizard live in this region, mainly on the steppe-like slopes of the Monte Sole in Val Venosta. At these arid slopes also plants such as juniper and barberry bushes grow. The beautiful reserve is rich in water due to the storage capacity of the widespread granular soil and the melting of glaciers. Particularly worth mentioning are the 10 Sopranes Lakes, the largest high alpine lake plateau in South Tyrol which has its origin in glaciers.
