Animals in Romania

Romania is a country with a vast amount of unspoiled habitats and is almost completely enclosed by mountains. The Carpathian's barricade it on the north and east. The Transylvanian Alps are to the south and continue south to the Danube gorge as the Banat Mountains. The Bihor Mountains are west of the basin. The rest of Romania is predominately lowlands, with swamps, large saline lagoons, and many small freshwater mountain lakes. Romania has an ample amount of wild animal life; its fauna consists of 33,792 animal species. Many species that are disappearing or have disappeared entirely in other parts of the world still flourish in Romania. One such species is the house sparrow which is currently considered to be endangered in Britain. Larger animals such as wild boar, wolf, lynx, fox, bear, roe deer, chamois, and goat are primarily found in the Carpathian Mountains. Romania boasts the largest brown bear population in Europe at 40%. The country is also home to 30% of Europe's wolves. Typical animals in the plains are the hare, squirrel, polecat, and badger. In the Danube Delta region, now partly a nature preserve, many species of birds can be found as it is a resting point for migratory birds. About 3,600 feral horses live in the Danube Delta as well as 2,000 in the Letea nature reserve. Romania's feral horses are one of the largest population of wild horses living freely on the European continent. Pike, sturgeon, flounder, carp, salmon, herring, eel and perch are among the species of fish found offshore and in the rivers. With its abundant wildlife and diverse habitats, Romania is a popular destination for wildlife tours.