Fauna of the Zagori region

The fauna of the two National Parks, that of Vikos-Aoos and Valia Calda, is especially abundant with respect to European standards, due to its geographical position and rich horizontal and vertical partitioning and the wide range of  habitats that are provided. The basic element of this wealth consists of the increased endemicity and geographical diversification of most of the animal groups.

Mammals

60 species of mammals dwell in the trees, forests, gorges, valleys and mountains of the Zagori region

Ursus arctos (bear)
Canis lupus (wolf)
Felis sylvestris
Lutra lutra
Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica
Capreolus capreolus
Sus scrofa (wildboar)
Vulpes vulpes (fox)
Meles meles
Lepus capenis (hare)
Erinaceus concolor (hedgehog)
Sciurus vulgaris (squirrel)
Martes foina
Martes martes
Bats

Birds

Of the 166 species of birds that live in this region of Pindus the birds of prey are of great interest

Neophron percnopterus
Aguila chrysaetos (eagle)
Falco pereginus (falcon)
Hieraetus pennatus (eagle)
Circaetus gallicus (eagle)
Falco biarmicus (falcon)

Other species

Dryocopus martius (woodpecker)
Dendrocopos syriaca (woodpecker)
Alectoris graeca (grouse)
Parus montanu
Tichodroma muraria
Cinclus cinclus
Ciconia nigra
Eremophilla alpestris
Montifrigillani valis

Reptiles

Of the 30 species of reptiles that live in this region of Pindus there are 16 species of lizards, 10 species of snakes and 4 species of turtles

Algyroides nigropunctatus (lizard)
Elaphequatrolineataa (snake)
Testudo marginata (turtle)

Amphibians

14 species of amphibians dwell in the region of the Zagori

Salamandra salamandra (salamander)
Bufo bufo
Bufo viridis
Triturus alpestris (lives in small colonies in small ponds or lakes at high altitudes of the mountains of the National parks, such as in the Dragon Lakes of Mt. Smolikas and Mt. Tymphe and the twin lakes of Flegga in Valia Calda)

Fish

In the rivers and creeks of the National Parks of Vikos-Aoos and Valia Calda there are 17 species of fish. Among them 12 species dwell in the Venetikos river and 12 species in the rivers Aoos, Voidomatis and Sarantaporos. Worth mentioning is the endemic species Barbatus lapindus that lives in river Aoos and the rare for Greek standards Pachychilon pictum which swims in the crystal clear waters of the Aoos network of rivers

Barbatus lapindus
Pachychilon pictum
Salmo trutta (trout)
Leuciscus cephalus
Chondrostoma nasus
Barbus peloponnesius