Flora and Fauna

In the Middle Ages, Polimlje was rich in forests. The fragmentation of the relief, favorable climate and forests enabled the abundance and diversity of the game: there were a lot of does, chamois, bears, wild boars, rabbits, deer, beavers, etc. Topographic names such as Turija and Turjak indicate that aurochs (tur), extinct wild cattle, used to live here in distant past.

However, there are no forests on the Pešter plateau. Rare groves are scattered along the edges of this grass empire. There are a lot of rare and protected species among the plants though, even medicinal. Mullein, for example, known for its miraculous benefits for ages; rosehip, used for making a delicious jam, hawthorn…. Where fauna is concerned, Pešter field and the entire plateau is home to the species that live only here and nowhere else. A perfect example is bythinella pesterica (Pešter snail).

Pešter, a field without fences and borders, is a haven for flocks of sheep, herds of cattle and horses. A special species of sheep called Pramenka (Sjenica – Pešter sheep) has been bread on the highland. This type is also bred in the northern part of Montenegro, in western Serbia and eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The living world of Đalović gorge is also very interesting. Many endemic species have been found there: Nikola’s carnation (Dianthus Nikolai), chimney bellflower, three-leaf cardamine,  Defleur sweet woodruff, Euphorbia Montenegrina, Dyer’s greenweed and bellflower. A large number of medicinal herbs thrive here: common daisy, mullein, yellow and white clover, hawthorn, rosehip, chequers, common hazel, blackberry, etc. Two endemic species grow at the very entrance to the cave, daphne blagayana and Italian maple. The animal world of the gorge is also very diverse, you can see foxes, wolves, rabbits; rodents found here are mice, moles and dormouse; and Eurasian jay, magpies, crows, goldfinch, grey partridge, hawk, sparrowhawk, owl, skylark and cranes from the bird family. When reptiles are concerned, you can find common vipers, horned viper, Aesculapian snake, slow worm and green lizard here. And finally, amphibians found there are salamander and European tree frog.

When Đalović cave is concerned, there are no plants inside, but you will find plenty of small animals, such as ordinary bat, big brown bat, large horseshoe bat. The well – known wolf spider is one of the spiders living here. As to the insects, the most common are beetles with a lot of endemic species, the usual type is Remyella Montenegrina – Leid’s beetle.