Editing Sylt (section)

=== Flora and fauna ===
[[File:Flower dsc05303.jpg|thumb|''Rosa rugosa'', known as "Sylt rose" on the island]]
The [[flora]] of Sylt is shaped by the island's original sparseness. Until the mid 19th century, Sylt was an island almost completely devoid of trees except for small areas of forest and bush created by plantations. Today, one can still recognize the man-made origin of the ''Friedrichshain'' and ''Südwäldchen'' forests in Westerland where many of the trees stand in rank and file. Also, the now widespread rose ''[[Rosa rugosa]]'', known as the "Sylt rose" on the island was imported to Sylt. It originates from the [[Kamchatka]] peninsula in [[Siberia]]. The undemanding rose met ideal conditions on Sylt and spread so quickly that it is now a common sight on the island. Its proliferation is viewed critically from a biological point of view, since it threatens to displace endangered local species, especially on the heaths.<ref name="braderup">{{cite web |title=Interessantes über die Braderuper Heide |url=http://www.naturschutz-sylt.de/NSG_gebiete_heide.html |language=de |publisher=Naturschutzgemeinschaft Sylt |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217012517/http://www.naturschutz-sylt.de/NSG_gebiete_heide.html |archive-date=17 February 2012}}</ref>

The ample [[Heath (habitat)|heaths]] on the eastern side of the island provide habitats for many rare species of plants and animals which are adapted to the extreme conditions such as drought, warmth, wind. About 2,500 animal species and 150 species of plants have so far been recorded. 45% of those plants are on the [[IUCN Red List]].<ref name="braderup" /> Especially notable are the 600 species of [[butterfly|butterflies]] that live in the heaths, [[small tortoiseshell]], [[common brimstone|brimstone]], [[painted lady]] and [[Aglais io|peacock butterfly]] among them.<ref>{{cite web |title=Morsum-Kliff |url=http://www.naturschutz-sylt.de/NSG_gebiete_morsum.html |language=de |publisher=Naturschutzgemeinschaft Sylt |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217012522/http://www.naturschutz-sylt.de/NSG_gebiete_morsum.html |archive-date=17 February 2012}}</ref>

With several thousand individuals in the dune belt of Sylt, the [[natterjack toad]], endangered in Germany, has one of Germany's largest populations here. Their spawning places are wet dune slacks and shallow, short-lived pools. For a habitat they prefer sandy areas with vegetation, but the species has also been observed on the top of the Uwe Dune. The main threat for this species on Sylt is road traffic.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Die Amphibien und Reptilien Schleswig-Holsteins, Rote Liste |url=http://www.umweltdaten.landsh.de/nuis/upool/gesamt/amphibien/rl_amphibien.pdf |publisher=Schleswig-Holstein State Office for Nature and Environment |author=Klinge, Andreas |version=3rd version |language=de |year=2003 |access-date=28 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719054339/http://www.umweltdaten.landsh.de/nuis/upool/gesamt/amphibien/rl_amphibien.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The many [[water bird]]s and other coastal avians that have their hatching grounds on Sylt or use the island for resting on their [[Migratory bird|migrations]] constitute an [[Ornithology|ornithological]] feature. There are two notable hatching areas on Sylt, the ''Königshafen'' bay with the small island [[Uthörn]] in the north and the Rantum basin in the southeast. Birds that hatch on Sylt include [[black-headed gull]], [[Arctic tern]], [[pied avocet]], [[common redshank]], [[common gull]], [[Eurasian oystercatcher|oystercatcher]], [[northern lapwing]], [[common shelduck]] and [[tufted duck]]. During the migration, Sylt is a resting spot for thousands of [[Brent goose|brent geese]] and shelducks, [[Eurasian wigeon]]s and [[common eider]]s, as well as [[bar-tailed godwit]]s, [[red knot]]s, [[dunlin]]s and [[Eurasian golden plover]]s. [[Ringed plover]], [[common snipe]], [[Ruff (bird)|ruff]] and other species are less common visitors to the island.<ref>{{cite book |first=M. |last=Lohmann |author2=K. Haarmann |title=Vogelparadiese |year=1989 |volume=1 – Norddeutschland |language=de |publisher=Paul Parey |isbn=3-490-16418-0}}</ref>

Regarding land [[mammal]]s, there is no significant difference from the neighbouring areas of mainland Nordfriesland. Primarily [[European hare]], [[European rabbit|rabbit]] and [[roe deer]] can be found and are also hunted as game on the island. When the island was connected to the mainland by the causeway, [[red fox]] and [[European badger]] also became common.

West of Sylt a breeding area of [[harbour porpoise]]s is located. In addition, great numbers of [[harbour seal]]s and [[grey seal]]s, the latter being rather uncommon in German seas, can be found on sand banks off Sylt.

Numerous associations and societies that care for the exploration and the protection of endangered animals and plants have branches on Sylt. Among them are the [[Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research]], Verein Jordsand and [[Wadden Sea Conservation Station]]. Also the Federal Office for the Environment operates a research station in the dunes at Westerland.