Wildlife of
Romania

Romania is a mid-sized Eastern European country that first gained its independence in the late 19th century. Its borders are bounded by the mighty Danube River in the south and the Black Sea in the east. The center of the country is dominated by the massive Carpathian Mountain range; the highest point is Moldoveanu Peak, which stands at more than 8,000 feet above sea level. These mountains are surrounded by plains, plateaus, and mixed forests of all kinds. Some parts of Romania are like a portal back in time to a more pristine Europe, untouched by human contact. It contains many large predatory mammals, migrating birds, and the last remaining population of feral horses in Europe.

The Official National Animal Of Romania

The Eurasian lynx is the official national animal of Romania. This medium-sized wild cat is very common throughout Russia, Scandinavia, and many other mountainous regions of Asia and Europe. It is also protected by the national government. The best chance of seeing a lynx is in Romania – of the 2800 lynx living in the Carpathian Mountains, 2000 of them are found in Romania.

Considered the largest of the lynx species, it is the largest cat found in Europe, although not technically in the same family as the traditional big cats like lions and leopards. A carnivore that can live for more than 20 years, this cat weighs an average of 33 to 55 lbs. It can reach lengths of 2.5 to almost 4 feet.

Where To Find The Top Wild Animals In Romania

Romania has a total of 14 national parks from which you can see some of the country’s most impressive wildlife. Călimani, located in the northern part of Romania, contains the largest volcanic complex of the Carpathian Mountains. It also harbors some of the most popular wildlife, including lynxes, badgers, and bears. The Danube Delta, which connects to the Black Sea in the east, is the country’s largest national park and one of the best-preserved areas on the continent. It’s a good place to watch migrating birds, wild horses, and other uncommon animals.

The Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park, located in the southwest near the Serbian border, has brown bears, badgers, stone martens, and plenty of birds of prey. Ceahlău National Park, located in the northeastern part of the Carpathian Mountains range, is a popular hiking destination. It contains many impressive birds, including the black stork, European roller, and golden eagle. The nearby Cheile Bicazului–Hășmaș National Park is another popular hiking destination for wildlife lovers. It has many different types of wolves, bears, reptiles, deer, owls, and foxes.

The Most Dangerous Animals In Romania Today

Romania has several large carnivores and venomous snakes that may prove dangerous if encountered. While many other European countries are struggling to maintain their populations of carnivorous mammals, Romania has a relatively high rate of them located in its mountains and hills. Most of these predators won’t attack people except out of self-defense, though deaths still do occur.

• Brown Bear – Romania has one of the largest brown bear populations in all of Europe. Thousands of them roam the Carpathian Mountains and rural areas. Although they sometimes come in contact with people, actual attacks are very rare. There is a battle going on in the country between those who want to keep bear hunting illegal and those who want to open it up for sport.
• Horned Viper – Featuring a single large horn at the end of the snout, the horned viper is perhaps the most dangerous of all the European vipers. The toxin from its bite can cause pain, swelling, hemorrhaging, and some even neurological symptoms. It lives in dry, rocky hillsides in the southern part of Romania and throughout the rest of the Balkans.
• European Common Viper – This species is very common throughout the continent, and therefore, the incidence of bites is relatively high. Symptoms of its toxin may include pain, swelling, nausea, vomiting, and lightheadedness. Fortunately, death is rare from this snake’s venom.

Endangered Animals In Romania

While several species in Romania are now endangered, it could be argued that many of the country’s native animals, such as bears and wolves, are in better shape than they are almost anywhere else in Europe. In fact, thanks to the protection of critical land, Romania is often a refuge for many species that have disappeared or dwindled elsewhere.

• European Mink – This semi-aquatic member of the weasel genus was once common throughout the entire continent, but after years of overhunting, habitat destruction, and competition with the American mink, it is now confined to very small parts of Eastern Europe. In Romania, it’s still sometimes found in the Danube Delta. However, this native European animal is in danger of becoming extinct.
• European Ground Squirrel – Also known as the European souslik, this species was once more widespread across more of Central and Eastern Europe, but changes in agricultural practices and land use may have made it more difficult for it to dig burrows for protection.
• Asprete – Also known as the Romanian darter, this small fish is closely related to other European perches. Critically endangered, it is now only found in small parts of a tributary river west of Bucharest.
• Saker Falcon – This remarkably fast and agile migratory falcon (which has a wider range across much of Western and Central Asia) nearly disappeared from Romania years ago due to overhunting, poisoning, and the loss of nesting sites. Conservationists are trying to reintroduce the bird back into parts of its former range.

The saker falcon is a strictly protected bird of prey that is endanger of becoming extinct within the next 15 years. Due to rapid population decline, trapping and indirect poisoning, there are estimated to be about 5000 of the saker falcon in existence. Once found all throughout Romania, their preferred diet is small mammals, especially the European ground squirrel.

The Rarest Animal In Romania

The asprete, or the Romanian darter, is not only the rarest fish in Romania but the rarest one in Europe. It is a ray-finned fish and is considered a living fossil because it has survived for millions of years largely unchanged. This dinosaur fish is listed as critically endangered and is fully protected. Found in only one river in Romania, the Valsan River, human activity has led to its near extinction.

The Largest Animals In Romania

While Eurasian brown bears are smaller than the North American brown bear, they are the largest animal found in Romania. With heights reaching almost 7 feet, and weighing over 770 lbs, they are still quite an impressive size. The largest population of brown bears is found in Romania, in the Carpathian Mountains, with numbers nearing 6000. Called the King of the forest, this brown bear has a life expectancy of 30 to 40 years.

The European bison, once hunted to extinction, is making a slow comeback thanks to reintroduction and rewilding projects and at almost one ton, is one of the largest animals found in Romania. This giant can be found at numerous reserves in the country. In the Poiana Rusca Mountains in western Romania there is the European Bison Reserve or in northeastern Romania, you can visit Vanatori-Neamt Nature Park.

The Flag Of Romania

Although the flag of Romania was not officially adopted until the late 20th century, evidence shows that it had been associated with the country since around the 19th century. The flag is a vertical tricolor of red, yellow, and blue. The use of these colors dates to the Wallachian uprising of 1821. It was decided upon that the use of these colors would be used to represent fraternity, justice and liberty.

Blue is representative of liberty, the yellow band is for justice and the red band is the symbol of the nation’s fraternity.