Page 225 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

THE DOL OMITES  223

Nature in the Dolomites
Forests and meadows support a breath-
taking richness of wildlife in the region.
Alpine plants, which flower between
June and September, have evolved their
miniature form to survive the harsh winds.
The Flora

Lago di Misurina is a large and beautiful lake
lying beside the resort of Misurina. The crystal-clear
waters reflect the surrounding mountains, mirroring
various peaks such as the distinctive and dramatic
Sorapiss, in shimmering colours.
Gentian roots The orange
are used to moun tain lily
make a bitter thrives on sun-
local liqueur. baked slopes.

The pretty burser’s Devil’s claw has
saxifrage grows in distinctive pink
clusters on rocks. flower heads.
Outdoor activities in this area of dramatic The Fauna
landscapes include skiing in winter, and walking and
rambling along the footpaths, and to picnic sites,
in summer. Chairlifts from the main resorts provide
easy access up into the mountains themselves,
transporting you into some breathtaking scenery.

The ptarmigan changes its plumage
Torri del Vaiolet Tre Cime di Lavaredo from mottled brown in summer to snow
2,243 m (7,375 ft) 2,999 m (9,839 ft) white in winter for effective camouflage.
It feeds on mountain berries and young
plant shoots.
The chamois,
a shy mountain
antelope prized
for its soft skin, is
protected in the
national parks,
where hunting
is forbidden.
Roe deer are very common,
as their natural predators –
wolves and lynx – have now
died out. Their keen appetite
for tree saplings
causes problems for
foresters.
The Torri del Vaiolet Tre Cime di Lavaredo
is part of the beautiful or Drei Zinnen dominate
Catinaccio range, the valleys north of the
known for its colour. Lago di Misurina.

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