Fauna of Hungary IV - Year of Biodiversity

Magyar Posta in keeping with its traditions presents the flora and fauna of Hungary on a special souvenir sheet and set of stamps. As part of the 2010 issue the souvenir sheet records for posterity that the United Nations has declared 2010 the Year of Biodiversity. Biodiversity means the abundant variety of life on earth, which is the result of natural processes formed by evolution over several billion years. The events of the year seek to draw attention to the pollution of the environment destroying species and the need for sustainable development. The bearded iris is a herbaceous perennial and a specially protected species of plant in Hungary. It is found in dry meadows, on rocky grassy slopes and occasionally in scrubby flatland. It grows 10 to 30 cm tall. Its leaves gradually widen, arching outwards. The surface of its straight, cylindrical stem is smooth and green. Its flowers a ground squirrel of a genus belonging to the Marmotini sub-family. There are two species in Europe, the European souslik and the spotted souslik. It is a protected animal in Hungary. It eats plants, mainly grasses and seeds but it also robs birds’ nests. It lives in colonies and hibernates. , The blue tit is a tiny, well-known and popular bird of the tit family in the passerine order. It is essentially a European bird. It gets its name from its blue crown, wings and outer tail.