Below you can find a complete list of Slovak animals. We currently track 236 animals in Slovakia and are adding more every day!
Slovakia is a landlocked country in central Europe, with a population of about 5.5. million. Slovakia is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, and Austria to the west.
Slovakia has several mountain ranges, including the Tatras and the Carpathians, large expanses of forest, and many bodies of water. This varied topography supports a rich variety of fauna. Its native wildlife includes chamois, wolves, martens, marmots, bears, and otters. Slovakia’s native birds include wild geese, ducks, storks, partridges, pheasants, and many raptors.
Interesting Facts About the Animals of Slovakia
Slovakia has many animals you’ll find in other countries, but it also has unique native wildlife.
- Eurasian wolf: The Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus) is also known as the common wolf or Middle Russian forest wolf. It is a subspecies of the gray wolf. This wolf has a longer, leaner build than the gray wolf. Like many other wolf species, this wolf has been hunted almost to extinction. In Slovakia, it is a protected species, and its numbers have rebounded.
- Steppe polecat: The steppe polecat (Mustela eversmanii), also known as the white or masked polecat, is a sturdy, slightly stocky mammal with pale yellow fur and a masked face. In the winter, its coat can turn to a silvery gray color. The steppe polecat eats ground squirrels, pikas and hamsters. It is not endangered.
- Asiatic jackal: This dog-like animal (Canis aureus) also goes by the names golden jackal or Asian wild dog. Jackals are related to wolves, but they’re smaller. They mostly scavenge on food killed by other predators, but they will also hunt and eat rodents, birds, and amphibians. Jackals are solitary and usually travel as mated pairs. Jackals face habitat destruction and other threats in most of the world.
- Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber): Slightly larger than North American beavers, these busy mammals are known for building dams and huts. Beavers are nature’s engineers. In Slovakia, they live in many rivers, lakes, and streams. They live in family groups of six to eight members. Because their fur was highly prized, beavers were hunted almost to extinction. Conservation and reintroduction programs have caused their numbers to rise again. Today, they are listed as “near threatened.”
- European elk: This animal goes by the name moose (Alces alces) in North America or elk in Eurasia and the U.K. In North America, an elk (Cervus canadensis) or wapiti is a smaller version of the moose. The moose or European elk is the largest and heaviest member of the deer family. Moose prefer to live in marshy, damp areas close to water sources. They feed on shrubs, tree leaves, herbs, grasses, and bark. Moose are not threatened or endangered.
- Alpine marmot: Although it looks like a groundhog, the Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) is actually a large, burrowing ground squirrel. These chubby critters have sweet faces and fur that changes color according to the season. They live in mountainous areas of Europe and are plentiful in Germany and Slovakia.
Where To Find Wildlife in Slovakia
Slovakia has many national parks. They are the perfect place to see the country’s unique fauna.
- National Park of High Tatras: Founded in 1949, this is the oldest protected area in Slovakia. It was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993. The protected areas include wooded forests and some of the tallest mountain peaks in Europe. Bears, Alpine marmots, and chamois all live here.
- National Park of Sloveny: Waterfalls, caves, and one of the largest ice caves in Europe contribute to a gorgeous landscape in this park. The park’s ecology is mostly spruce forest. It provides a safe home for lynxes, bears, gray wolves, and wild boars.
- Poloniny National Park: This park is primarily famous as a protected area for the European bison. Although there are only a few bison in the reserve, these bison have bred many baby bison for zoos and other conservation areas.
Endangered Animals In Slovakia
- European mink: This slender member of the mustelid family has short legs, a sleek brown body, and white bands on its jaws. European minks (Mustela lutreola) are semi-aquatic mammals. They live close to river banks, marshes, and streams. They eat birds, fish, crabs, and insects. European minks are on the verge of extinction everywhere in Europe.
- Western barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus): This medium-sized bat prefers to live in forests at high altitudes. They nest in tree hollows, caves, cellars, and occasionally in abandoned human buildings. They have long, black fur and white-tipped wings. Western barbastelles eat moths, mosquitoes, and other insects. These bats have lost numbers to habitat disruption and pollution. They are listed as threatened or endangered in most parts of Europe.
- Eurasian otter: The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter. This semi-aquatic mammal is widespread in Europe, where it lives in marshes and rivers. Eurasian otters are endangered in some countries, including Slovakia, but their numbers are recovering in other countries.
The Most Dangerous Animals In Slovakia Today
- Bears: Although they are not aggressive, bears can be dangerous if they feel provoked or threatened by humans. Most people won’t encounter bears unless they are hiking in the mountains.
- Wild boars: Wild boars can weigh over 200 pounds. They have long, sharp tusks and no fear of humans. It’s particularly dangerous to interfere with a female wild boar who’s with her piglets.
- Snakes: The only venomous species of snake in Slovakia is a snake called an adder (Vipera berus). Adders live on riverbanks and in mountainous areas. Adders are usually brown or gray with red eyes and a dark zigzag pattern along their backs. An adder bite is painful and causes inflammation, but it is not usually fatal. Adders are common in Europe, and they are not threatened or endangered.
Slovak Animals
Slovak Animals List
- Admiral Butterfly
- Ant
- Armyworm
- Aurochs
- Avocet
- Badger
- Barn Owl
- Barn Swallow
- Bat
- Beaver
- Bed Bugs
- Bee
- Beetle
- Beewolf wasp
- Bird
- Biscuit Beetle
- Black Widow Spider
- Brown-banded Cockroach
- Brown Dog Tick
- Bumblebee
- Butterfly
- Camel Cricket
- Carpenter Ant
- Cat
- Caterpillar
- Catfish
- Centipede
- Chamois
- Chicken
- Cicada
- Cockroach
- Codling Moth
- Common Buzzard
- Common European Adder
- Common Frog
- Common Furniture Beetle
- Common House Spider
- Common Loon
- Common Raven
- Common Toad
- Cormorant
- Cow
- Crab
- Crab Spider
- Crane
- Cricket
- Crow
- Cuckoo
- Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
- Deer
- Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle
- Dog
- Dog Tick
- Donkey
- Dormouse
- Dragonfly
- Duck
- Dung Beetle
- Eagle
- Earthworm
- Earwig
- Edible Frog
- Eel
- Eider
- Ermine
- Eurasian Bullfinch
- Eurasian Eagle-owl
- Eurasian Jay
- European Goldfinch
- European Robin
- Falcon
- Fallow deer
- False Widow Spider
- Ferret
- Fire-Bellied Toad
- Fire Salamander
- Firefly
- Flea
- Fly
- Flying Squirrel
- Fox
- Frizzle Chicken
- Frog
- Fruit Fly
- Gadwall
- German Cockroach
- Glass Lizard
- Glowworm
- Gnat
- Goat
- Goldcrest
- Golden Eagle
- Golden Oriole
- Goose
- Grasshopper
- Gypsy Moth
- Hamster
- Hare
- Hawk Moth Caterpillar
- Hedgehog
- Heron
- Highland Cattle
- Honey Bee
- Honey Buzzard
- Hoopoe
- Horse
- Horsefly
- Housefly
- Human
- Huntsman Spider
- Ibex
- Insects
- Jackdaw
- Jumping Spider
- Kingfisher
- Ladybug
- Lazarus Lizard
- Leech
- Lemming
- Linnet
- Lizard
- Loach
- Locust
- Long-Eared Owl
- Long-Tailed Tit
- Magpie
- Marmot
- Marsh Frog
- Mealybug
- Millipede
- Mole
- Mole Cricket
- Mongrel
- Moorhen
- Mosquito
- Moth
- Mouse
- Mule
- Muskrat
- Natterjack
- Neanderthal
- Nematode
- Newt
- Nightingale
- No See Ums
- Northern Pintail
- Old House Borer
- Orb Weaver
- Ortolan Bunting
- Osprey
- Otter
- Owl
- Peppered Moth
- Peregrine Falcon
- Pheasant
- Pig
- Pigeon
- Pika
- Pike Fish
- Pine Marten
- Pond Skater
- Pool Frog
- Porcupine
- Purple Emperor Butterfly
- Puss Moth
- Quail
- Rabbit
- Raccoon
- Raccoon Dog
- Rat
- Rat Snakes
- Red Deer
- Redstart
- River Turtle
- Robin
- Rodents
- Roe Deer
- Rooster
- Rough-Legged Hawk (Rough-Legged Buzzard)
- Sable Ferret
- Salamander
- Sand Lizard
- Scorpion
- Sea Eagle
- Seahorse
- Sheep
- Short-Eared Owl
- Shrew
- Shrimp
- Skink Lizard
- Slovak Cuvac
- Slow Worm
- Slug
- Smallmouth Bass
- Smokybrown Cockroach
- Snail
- Snake
- Snowy Owl
- Song Thrush
- Spadefoot Toad
- Sparrow
- Spider Wasp
- Squirrel
- Stick Insect
- Stoat
- Stork
- Swallowtail Butterfly
- Swan
- Tawny Owl
- Termite
- Thrush
- Tick
- Tiger Beetle
- Tiger Moth
- Tortoise
- Tree Frog
- Turtles
- Ural owl
- Viper
- Vulture
- Wasp
- Water Buffalo
- Water Vole
- Wax Moth
- Weasel
- White Ferret / Albino Ferrets
- Wild Boar
- Wolf
- Wolf Spider
- Woodlouse
- Woodlouse Spider
- Woodpecker
- Woolly Rhinoceros
- Worm
- Wryneck
- Yellowhammer
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What Animals Live in Slovakia?
Slovakia has a great variety of animals.
It has two species of big cats. They are the European wildcat and the Eurasian lynx. The European wildcat is a small cat with thick fur and fluffy ears. It looks like a large domestic cat. Hunted for their thick, soft fur, European wildcats are endangered everywhere.
The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized wildcat known for its spotted fur and pointed ear tips. This shy, beautiful cat lives in rocky mountain areas and forests. In Slovakia, it lives in the mountains and can be seen at Velka Fatra National Park.
Although Eurasian lynxes are present in almost every country in Europe, they were hunted to near extinction almost everywhere. Today, conservation efforts and reintroduction programs have led to increases in their population. They are a protected species almost everywhere.
Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus): These small deer are plentiful in the forests of Slovakia. They have reddish pelts and short tails. Although they are a popular target of hunters, roe deer are plentiful in Slovakia and other countries.
Chamois: This wild mountain goat is endemic to the Tatras mountains of Slovakia. Chamois exist in many European mountains, and they are particularly important to the Slovakian people. Their sturdy hooves allow them to travel easily on rocky heights. They are social animals who travel in large flocks together.
European bison: This large animal is related to the North American bison and looks very similar. The European bison (Bison bonasus) is also known as the wisent.
Bisons are the largest land mammals in Europe. These large herbivores were once plentiful in most European mountain ranges, but they were hunted to extinction almost everywhere. Captive breeding and reintroduction programs have increased the bison’s numbers, and they are now listed as “least concern” for conservation status.
What Is the National Animal of Slovakia?
Slovakia does not have a national animal.