Plants and animals
The history of Susak Island offers a vivid illustration of the profound impact human activity can have on natural ecosystems. By the late 19th century, at the peak of its human population, Susak’s landscape had been entirely transformed. Every available piece of land was converted into vineyards, leaving the island’s original vegetation restricted to a few inaccessible areas. This aggressive cultivation practices led to the near-elimination of the native plant life, underscoring the extent to which humans can alter natural habitats.
The clearance of the original vegetation precipitated a significant problem: accelerated erosion. To combat this, the islanders resorted to planting reeds along the edges of sandy terraces, an early example of humans attempting to mitigate the environmental damage they caused. However, these efforts could not fully reverse the damage done to the island’s delicate soil and landscape.
The impact of human activity on Susak’s ecosystem was not limited to its vegetation. In 1913, Austrian physician Ernst Mayerhoffer, while researching the island for its potential in medical tourism, noted an “absolute silence” that pervaded the island. He attributed this silence to a lack of food sources, which had reduced the habitat for wild birds, such as sparrows, to just the village and harbor areas. Mayerhoffer’s observations highlight the broader effects of agriculture on wildlife, showing how changes in land use can drastically reduce biodiversity.
The turn of the century brought significant changes to Susak, as emigration to America led to a sharp decline in vine cultivation and agricultural activities. Abandoned, the once-cultivated lands were slowly reclaimed by wild vegetation. Despite this return of greenery, the flora and fauna of Susak have not reverted to their pre-human state, even a century after agricultural practices began to wane. Today, we can only speculate about the natural state of Susak’s ecosystem before human intervention.
This tale of Susak Island is a poignant reminder of humanity’s capacity to transform nature, often with irreversible consequences. It underscores the need for sustainable management of natural resources, ensuring that human needs are balanced with the preservation of ecosystems. As we reflect on the story of Susak, it becomes clear that understanding our impact on nature is crucial for the protection and restoration of the world’s precious island ecosystems.
Plants
Deposits mentioned in the section about geology are in fact a very fertile soil, which combined with mild climate enable all the Mediterranean vegetation to flourish. A special kind of reed can be found all over the island. By growing on the edges of the sand cascades and terraces it prevents erosion. The flatter upper parts of the island are mostly covered by grass, bushes of wild grapes, blackberry and various herbs. Some parts of the island are covered by forest of acacia tree.
Animals
Apart from goats, sheep and a few cows, rats, mice and bats, cats and dogs, there are no other mammals living on the island. There are of course reptiles: western whip snakes (hierophis viridiflavus) which locals call “gad” and two kinds of small lizards: dalmatian wall lizards (odarcis melisellensis) and moorish gecko (tarentola mauritanica). Moorish geckos come out at night are probably more interesting. Locals call the “tarantula”, probably after it’s latin name. You can usually spot them on a house wall under a street lamp, where they wait for their pray: the moths and other insects. They are characterized by thin pinkish transparent skin, through which you can see their internal organs.
I almost forgot to mention the birds - yes you can find seagulls, crows, swallow etc. Coming from the world of insects we have: common flies, mosquitoes (there’s no malaria), various butterfly, ants, caterpillar and harmless mediterranean scorpion (euscorpius italicus).