On a recent post a reader commented:

“I’m not sure about sleeping outside I like the outdoors and would enjoy hiking, but thinking about insects and snakes crawling my way in the middle of the night does not appeal to me”.

My response to her comment was “I don’t like insects or reptiles either which is why I sleep in a zipped up tent, when I’m outdoors”.

This is my personal knowledge and experience on Corsica’s wildlife so far, as it relates to camping and backpacking (or flashpacking).

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There are snakes in Corsica but they’re all non-poisonous and I haven’t seen any yet, except in pictures.

This is the scariest thing I’ve encountered so far:

There are also small scorpions in Corsica though I haven’t seen any either. You should always check your boots before putting them on wherever you go.

Pigs

Free roaming pigs (wild and domestic) can be found in many places throughout the island and wild pigs are active at night.

© Celine Ragonnet

You can tell if they are present by the holes they dig in the ground with their snouts. This is why you should only camp in designated areas and never leave food unattended in a tent. Be sure to hang your backpack up in a tree where they can’t reach it.

Mosquitoes

Perhaps it’s the ever present aromatic maquis that keeps them away or the breeze from the Mediterranean but even in the month of August (the hottest and most humid time of the year) I haven’t been bothered by any mosquitoes yet. There are however small bees, mostly near the coastal areas, that can be annoying, particularly when you eat outdoors but they don’t sting. I was bitten by ants while camping one time. That’s what I get for walking barefoot.

You can read other traveler’s mosquito experiences in Corsica here.

Filed under: Practical Information