Michael Wachtler

Michael Wachtler - Vision

Michael Wachtler is one of the Europeans leading thinkers, writers and filmmakers. An internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist, he has published more than 100 books and scientific papers. His social criticism often turns him into an uncomfortable contemporary witness.

Since his early youth he devoted himself to the goal of entering deeper into the world of stones than anyone else. He succeeded in detecting the biggest gold – and crystal findings of the Alps and furthermore he discovered countless unknown saurians and fossil plants. Therefore he often is referred to as the “man who speaks to stones” or as the “crystal man”.

He is considered as a connoisseur of the Dolomites and the whole Alps-region. Numberless of his books and films about the genesis, the history and the wars in the Dolomites became standard works. He is founder of DoloMythos, the Natural Heritage of Humanity Museum in Innichen (South Tyrol).

His will to search for Newlands everywhere in the world led him oftentimes to the so far hidden landscapes of the world.

As a field researcher he has discovered and named more than thirty new species of plants and dinosaurs. In 1999 he succeeded in finding the ancestor of snakes and lizards. In his honour Prof. Silvio Renesto named it “Megachirella wachtleri”. Also a lovely fossil fern took his name: "Wachtleria".

With friends he discovered the biggest gold treasure in the Alps. On that occasion they found about 20 kg of gold. They started off from a forgotten map by a Swiss scientist.

Michael Wachtler lives in the historical Villa Wachtler in the centre of Innichen (South Tyrol). Around you can find Wachtler specialties, the most beautiful shop of the Dolomites and Wachtler Residence, a comfortable house for enjoying the Dolomites.

Important discoveries
Click on this link to learn about the different species discovered by Michel Wachtler

Dinosaurs
Megachirella wachtleri
Archaeoparachirotherium
Rhyncosaurus

Lycopods
Lycopia dezanchei
Lycopodostrobus gaiae
Selaginella brandneri
Annalepsis bechstädti
Isoetites leonardii

Conifers
Voltzia dolomitica
Voltzia ladinica
Voltzia pragsensis

Ferns
Wachtleria nobilis
Gordonopteris lorigae .
Scolopendrites grauvogelii .
Scolopendrites scolopendrioides
Ladinopteris kandutschii

Seed ferns
Sagenopteris keilmannii
Caytonia fedelei
Peltaspermum bornemannii
Pteruchus dezignii
Lugardonia paradoxa

Cycads
Bjuvia dolomitica
Sphenozamites wengensis
Ladinia simplex
Pizperesia raetiae
Pizperesia tannae
Bjuvia primitiva
Dioonitocarpidium cycadea
Bjuvia olangensis
Dioonitocarpidium loretzi
Thetydostrobus marebbei
Nilssonia braiesensis