Rocks

Rock formations of graywake and argillaceous shale are visible at various points along the steep cliffs on both sides of the Wupper. With their crevasse vegetation, these silicate rocks are among the specially protected habitat types in the Fauna-Flora Habitat “Wupper von Leverkusen bis Solingen”. Lichens and mosses grow directly on the rock, receiving nourishment only from the wind and rain. The deposits that collect in cracks and crevasses allow higher plants to take root. The extremely rare Killarney fern grows in the deeper crevasses, which are characterized by constant temperatures and humidity. Nocturnal forest creatures like the salamander and various bat species also find their daytime hideouts or make their winter quarters here.

In the last few years, the eagle owl, the largest owl species native to Germany, has also returned to breed on the rock plateaus along the Wupper. This species was considered extinct in the Bergisches Land region not very long ago.