FAUNA

The variety of relief types, the richness and stretching of forests have lead to the development of a precious and diversified fauna. The hunting trophies of Bukovina have conquered plenty of gold medals in internationals expositions. The common stag, a species with an extending habitat, from the mountain’s forests to hills, is a recognized value. The brown bear, a simbol of our forests, is also found in Bukovina’s forests. The deer and the wild boar are species with a large spreading area in the district of Suceava.

This species can also be found on farming grounds at the edge of forests, and in deforested pastures, in the forests of the hills and even places with spruce fir. The mountain rooster, the wolves and lynxes, are representative in the forests of Bukovina. The tourist that visits Bukovina has the unique chance of meeting the virgin forests, unaffected by man’s actions, like the secular forests of Slătioara and Giumalău, considered natural reservations.

Fauna is specific to Carpathian Mountains of low and medium altitude. The most important mammals are: the wolf (Canis lupus), the fox (Canis vulpes), the wild boar (Sus scrofa), the rabbit (Lepus europaeus), the squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), the marten (Martes martes), the wild cat (Felis silvestris), and in low numbers, the brown bear (URsus acrtos), the carpathian stag (Cervus elaphus) and the lynx (Lynx lynx).

In the forest undisturbed stags and deer also live, and in the slopes bushes, rabbits, badgers, weasels and polecats.

The small birds are numerous and well-adapted to environmental conditions, some of which are migrant or just in passage. Also, in summer time, the atmosphere quivers of birds trills of all kinds like starlings, cuckoos, orioles, nightingale, hoopoes and at grooves and watersides, plenty of birds are swarm: wood-peckers, jays, titmice, blights, sparrows, wagtails, swallows, owls, quails, wild pigeons and turtle doves.

The bigger birds have the birch cock (Lyrurus tetrix) and the hazel hen (Tetraste bonasia) as main representatives. Birds of prey also exist, like: the hen’s hawk (Accipiter gantilis), the sparrow hawk (Accipiter nisus), the mop head (Asio otus), the eaglea owl (Strix aluco), the falcon (Falco vespertinus), the great owl (Bubo bubo).

Near waters, the black common terns and storks, on heights, birds of prey like hen hawks, sparrow hawks, crows and others, and through the lawns, crickets sing, wasps, dragon flies and bumble bees fly. The waters, also full of all kind of animate, like lively fishes called “boiştile”, daces, barbells, gudgeons, and many other species of fish. We also encounter all kind of frogs, crawfish, salamanders, water snails, white rats, and many other water creatures.

The water fish frame in trout zones, small rivers, and in umber and barbell zones, on big rivers like Moldova, Bistriţa, Suceava, Bistriţa Aurie. Lots of species of fish live in Bukovina’s waters.