Animals

Životinje Velebita – Životinje Nacionalnog Parka Sjeverni Velebit

The wildlife of Northern Velebit is exceptionally interesting and diverse, with different animal species residing in a relatively small space. The Park abounds in endemic species that are native only to this area.

From the start, the public institution Northern Velebit National Park has encouraged and organized diverse scientific research activities aimed at collecting as many information as possible about the species that inhabit the Park. In doing so, the National Park cooperates with numerous scientific and professional institutions, occupational organizations and individuals.

Relatively few information is available about invertebrates in the Park and their research is still at the beginning.

Vertebrates identified so far in the National Park include six species of amphibians, sixteen species of reptiles and about a hundred species of birds as well as about forty species of mammals. Many of these species are classified as strictly protected or protected under Croatian Nature Conservation Act, with many species listed in annexes to the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive.

It is important to note that large complexes of preserved woodlands are suitable habitats for all three species of large carnivores – bear (Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus) and lynx (Lynx lynx), and their presence in this area is a sign of the well preserved ecosystem.

Photo gallery of animals of the North Velebit National Park

The fauna of Velebit is diverse and very valuable. “We can find here large carnivores (wolf, bear, lynx, wild cat) and other mammals (boar, roe, deer, chamois), birds such as capercaillie, hazel grouse, golden eagle, different owl and woodpecker species and numerous typical mountain species. There are also some species of smaller carnivores, such as mustelid, badger and fox and especially important are the glacial relict of the Dinarides the Balkan snow vole (Dinaromys bogdanovi) and garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus dalmaticus). There are many reptile species on Velebit (especially on the coastal side where one can find our protected vipers, the nose-horned viper and the common adder. In the area of Velebit there are also numerous species of diurnal butterflies, mostly from the Nymphalidae family. Since many of them are endangered, they are included in the Croatian and European Red List of Butterflies.

Especially valuable are branched cave systems, which abound in steno-endemic fauna.”

Izvor: NP NORTHERN VELEBIT 
PP VELEBIT