Animals in Ukraine

Below you can find a complete list of Ukrainian animals. We currently track 141 animals in Ukraine and are adding more every day!

Ukraine is the second-largest country by landmass in all of Europe. Having won its independence from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the country shares a border with Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the south. Most of the country is comprised of a geographical region known as the Eastern European Plain. Featuring a combination of mixed forests, wetlands, and steppes, this area contains some of the most fertile soil in all of Europe. The southwestern part of Ukraine is also encompassed by the northern edge of the rugged Carpathian Mountains. The Dnieper River, which flows from Russia to the Black Sea, is the major river system in the country. As a kind of ecological crossroads, Ukraine contains a mix of European and steppe wildlife.

The Official National (State) Animal of Ukraine

Ukraine is represented by the common nightingale. It’s an important element in Ukrainian folklore as a harbinger of spring and a voice of sweet, happy sounds.

Where to Find the Top Wild Animals in Ukraine

Ukraine contains almost 50 national parks and many more protected areas, comprising over 4,000 square miles.

The Carpathian National Nature Park, located near the western border with Romania, is one of the largest parks in the country and bears the names of the intersecting mountain range. Amid the winding trails through the alpine meadows and forests, visitors can experience plenty of deer, martens, eagles, owls, foxes, and other common wildlife. Sometimes one may be able to catch a glimpse of a wolf, lynx, or bear.

The Holosiivskyi National Nature Park, a large protected forest surrounding the capital city of Kiev, is a good place to find plenty of smaller wildlife such as shrews, bats, polecats, and otters. It’s also home to woodpeckers, lizards, snakes, and beetles.

The Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park, located in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast of western Ukraine, is the largest nature reserve in the entire country. Covering Bakota Bay, the Lower Smotrych River, and other protected areas, this park is home to ferrets, hedgehogs, martens, foxes, storks, owls, falcons, and the rare European mink.

The Shatsky National Natural Park, located in the Volyn Oblast of northwestern Ukraine, contains more than 30 lakes joined to each other by canals. As a result, the area is very rich in freshwater fish like the roach, pike, and the introduced catfish. Some boar, deer, rabbits, elk, badgers, and other mammals also thrive here.

The Pryazovskyi National Nature Park, located in the southeast Zaporizhzhia Oblast next to the Sea of Azov, is the second largest protected area in the entire country. Featuring a rich cornucopia of river estuaries and seaside plains, this park is home to many unique species of nesting and migratory waterfowl, including the great egret.

The Most Dangerous Animals in Ukraine Today

Ukraine is home to only a few venomous snakes and large carnivores.

• Common European Viper – While this isn’t the most dangerous snake, the common European viper is the most widespread, and so it causes more bites than most other vipers. Symptoms of its venom include pain, swelling, blisters, and tingling. Death will only occur in very rare untreated cases.
• Forest Steppe Adder – Native to the forested steppe regions of Ukraine, Nikolsky’s Viper (one of its alternative names) can deliver a nasty bite that causes pain and swelling. Death is very rare, but bite victims should always seek medical attention nevertheless.
• Brown Bear – While attacks are exceptionally rare (they occur in well under 1% of on-foot encounters), brown bears can be very dangerous if they feel threatened, surprised, or provoked. A mother defending her cubs appears to be the main reason for most bear attacks.

Endangered Animals in Ukraine

While Ukraine extends protection to its endangered animals, several species are at the risk of becoming extinct or were once at the brink.

• European Mink – This endangered semi-aquatic mammal once made its home across the freshwater rivers of Europe, but it’s now restricted to small, isolated regions, largely in the eastern part of the continent. It’s believed that reasons for its decline include habitat loss, overhunting, disease, and competition with the American mink.
• Saiga Antelope – Once native to the entire Eurasian steppes, spanning between China and the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, the saiga antelope has been hunted to near extinction for their meat and the value of their horns in some traditional medicines. The transformation of the steppes by human activity has also obstructed some of the antelope’s natural migratory routes.
• European Bison – The number of European bison has dwindled steadily over the centuries from hunting and habitat loss until it nearly became extinct. Although this species is widespread across Eastern Europe, the populations are highly fragmented and isolated from each other. Only a few hundred of them can be found in Ukraine.
• Danube Crested Newt – Featuring a jagged crest on its back and a large, paddle-shaped tail, this unique species is primarily found along the Danube River and its tributaries, only a small part of which flows into Ukraine. Another small population was also found in the Dnieper Delta by the Black Sea, although it’s at risk of becoming extinct.

Ukrainian Animals

Ant

First evolved 100 million years ago!

Aurochs

Extinct ancestor of all domesticated cattle!

Avocet

Has a curved, upturned beak!

Badger

Can reach speeds of 30 km/h!

Barn Owl

Found everywhere around the world!

Bat

Detects prey using echolocation!

Beaver

Builds a dam from sticks and leaves!

Beetle

There are more than 350,000 different species

Bird

Not all birds are able to fly!

Black Widow Spider

They typically prey on insects!

Bumblebee

The most common species of bee!

Butterfly

There are thought to be up 20,000 species!

Camel Cricket

The camel crickets that are found in the USA are light brown in color. They also have dark streaks all over their body.

Cat

First domesticated by the Ancient Egyptians!

Caterpillar

The larvae of a moth or butterfly!

Catfish

There are nearly 3,000 different species!

Centipede

There are about 3,000 documented species!

Chamois

Natively found in the European mountains!

Chicken

First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!

Cockroach

Dated to be around 300 million years old!

Common Buzzard

The most common raptor in the UK!

Common Frog

Found throughout the European continent!

Common Loon

Also known as the Great Northern Diver

Common Raven

A group of ravens is called an unkindness or a conspiracy.

Common Toad

Most active in wet weather!

Cow

There are nearly 1.5 million worldwide!

Crab

There are 93 different crab groups

Crab Spider

Crab Spiders can mimic ants or bird droppings

Crane

Many are critically endangered species!

Deer

There are around 40 different species!

Dog

First domesticated in South-East Asia!

Donkey

First domesticated 5,000 years ago!

Dormouse

Found in Europe, Africa and Asia!

Dragonfly

It's larvae are carnivorous!

Duck

Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!

Eagle

Has exceptional eyesight!

Earwig

There are nearly 2,000 different species!

Edible Frog

Are known to guard the muddy banks!

Eel

Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!

Ermine

A very bold and ferocious predator!

Falcon

The fastest creatures on the planet!

Fallow deer

The fallow deer has more variation in its coat colors than most other deer.

Ferret

Ferrets can be trained to do tricks like dogs!

Fire-Bellied Toad

Found across mainland Europe and Asia!

Fly

There are more than 240,000 different species!

Flying Squirrel

Can glide up to 90 meters!

Fox

There are 12 different species in the world!

Frog

There are around 7,000 different species!

Glass Lizard

Can grow up to 4ft long!

Glow Worm

Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!

Goat

Most closely related to the Sheep!

Golden Oriole

Migrates between Europe and Asia!

Goose

There are 29 different species!

Grasshopper

There are 11,000 known species!

Hamster

Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!

Hare

Can reach speeds of over 40 mph!

Hedgehog

Thought to be one of the oldest mammals on Earth!

Heron

Inhabits wetlands around the world!

Highland Cattle

Natively found in the Scottish Highlands!

Honey Bee

There are only 8 recognized species!

Hoopoe

Stunning bird with a stinky way to deter predators!

Horse

Has evolved over 50 million years!

Horsefly

Horseflies have been seen performing Immelmann turns, much like fighter jets.

Human

Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!

Huntsman Spider

Some huntsman spiders have an interesting way of moving around. Some cartwheel while others do handsprings or backflips.

Insects

There are an estimated 30 million species!

Kingfisher

Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!

Ladybug

There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!

Lemming

Does not hibernate during the bitter Arctic winter!

Lizard

There are around 5,000 different species!

Locust

Each locust can eat its weight in plants each day.

Long-Eared Owl

Ear tufts make it look bigger!

Magpie

They are found across Europe, Asia and Africa!

Marmot

A marmot spends 80% of its life below ground

Marsh Frog

Has bright green skin!

Mayfly

There are 2,500 known species worldwide!

Millipede

Some species have a poisonous bite!

Mole

Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!

Mongrel

Has characteristics of two or more breeds!

Moorhen

Feeds on aquatic insects and water-spiders!

Moth

There are 250,000 different species!

Mouse

Found on every continent on Earth!

Mule

The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!

Muskrat

The muskrat can stay underwater up to 17 minutes at a time

Neanderthal

Roamed Asia and Europe for around 100,000 years!

Newt

Able to regrow lost or damaged limbs!

Nightingale

Named more than 1,000 years ago!

No See Ums

There are more than 5,000 species.

Otter

There are 13 different species worldwide

Peregrine Falcon

Fastest animal on Earth

Pheasant

Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!

Pig

Thought to have been domesticated in 9,000 BC!

Pigeon

They can find their way back to their nests from up to 1300 miles away.

Pika

Found in mountainous regions and rocky areas

Pike Fish

Apex freshwater predators with fearsome teeth!

Pond Skater

There are 500 different species!

Pool Frog

The rarest amphibian in the UK!

Porcupine

There are 30 different species worldwide!

Purple Emperor Butterfly

Inhabits deciduous forests!

Puss Moth

Caterpillars squirt formic acid!

Quail

Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!

Rabbit

There are more than 50 different species!

Raccoon

Known to wash their food before eating it!

Raccoon Dog

The only hibernating canine!

Rat

Omnivores that eat anything!

River Turtle

Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!

Robin

There are more than 45 species in Australia alone!

Rodents

The capybara, the world’s largest rodent, likes to be in and around bodies of water. Because of this, the Catholic Church in South America decided that it was a fish, and people were allowed to eat it during Lent and First Fridays.

Salamander

There are more than 700 different species!

Sand Lizard

Males turn green in spring!

Scorpion

There are around 2,000 known species!

Seahorse

Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!

Sheep

Around 35 million in the English countryside!

Shrimp

There are 2,000 different species worldwide!

Skink Lizard

Some skinks lay eggs in some habitats while giving birth to skinklets in other habitats.

Slow Worm

Found widely throughout British gardens!

Snail

There are nearly 1,000 different species!

Snake

There are around 3,000 known species worldwide

Snowy Owl

One of the largest owl species in the world!

Spadefoot Toad

They spend most of their time underground!

Sparrow

There are 140 different species!

Squirrel

Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!

Stag Beetle

More than 1,200 different species!

Stick Insect

There are more than 3,000 different species!

Stoat

Average adults weigh about 200 grams!

Swan

Populations have been affected by pollution!

Tawny Owl

The most widespread owl in Europe!

Termite

Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!

Thrush

The American robin is called the robin because its red breast reminded European settlers of the robin back in the old country.

Tortoise

Can live until they are more than 150 years old!

Tree Frog

Found in warmer jungles and forests!

Vulture

There are 30 different species worldwide!

Wasp

There are around 75,000 recognised species!

Water Buffalo

Has been domesticated for thousands of years!

Water Vole

The largest Vole species in the UK!

Weasel

The smallest carnivorous mammal in the world!

Wild Boar

Males have a top tusk to sharpen the bottom one!

Wolf

Thought to date back more than 300,000 years!

Wolf Spider

Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.

Woodlouse

Actually a crustacean, not an insect!

Woodpecker

There are 200 different species!

Ukrainian Animals List