General Information » Environment » Flora & Fauna

As a result of its varied climatic influences and landscapes, Switzerland has a wide range of flora and fauna. The countryside around Geneva is a mixture of farmland, vineyards and forests. The Swiss Agency for Environment, Forests and Landscape estimates that Switzerland is home to more than 50,000 species of animals, plants and macro fungi.

While Edelweiss may be the most famous alpine flower, and an emblem of Switzerland, sadly it is now an endangered species and it is very rare to see one. Other alpine flowers to look out for are the alpine anemone, hawkweed, spring gentian, bearded bellflower, fragrant orchid, rust leaved Alpen rose, the mountain houseleek and many more (you’ll find pictures of all these and more at www.switzerland-in-sight.ch).

While there are no absolutely enormous forests in Switzerland, the high number of smaller forests cover a lot of land. Deciduous trees, such as beech and oak, grow at altitudes of up to 1,300 metres, while coniferous forests (pine, Scots pine and spruce) can flourish at altitudes of up to 1,900 metres. Chestnut forests only grow on the Southern side of the Alps.

When it comes to animals, you’ll find much more than just cows! Most of the animal species found here are small – out of the 40,000 or so species, around 30,000 are insects. Some 83 mammal species are found in Switzerland, but these are mainly bats and small mammals. In the Alps many species have had to adapt to harsh climatic conditions. Marmots, ibex, chamois, mountain hare and white field mouse are characteristic of the Alps where they can be found at altitudes of up to 2,200 metres. Marmots tend to hibernate in winter and other alpine animals, such as the chamois and ibex, have adapted to the steep mountainous terrain. Whilst walking through the Geneva countryside you may also come across squirrels and foxes, and on the lake and the rivers you can see swans as well as many different types of ducks and birds.

Geneva boasts a number of beautiful parks with a wonderful variety of trees and plants. You’ll find two animal parks inside the Bois de la Bâtie (Bâtie Woods), and the ‘La Garenne’ animal park in Le Vaud (in the neighbouring canton of Vaud) has over 180 animal species, including local birds and mammals. Several species of fish and shellfish live in the rivers and the lake. Perch and trout are the most common.