Croatian fauna

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Name & Conservation status
English name: GREY WOLF
Latin name: CANIS LUPUS
In the language of the given country: SIVI VUK
Conservation status: EN - Endangered 
Taxonomy
Regnum: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Classis: Mammalia
Ordo: Carnivora
Familia: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Description The grey wolf inhabiting Croatia is widely distributed throughout the entire Northern hemisphere of the Earth. The average weight of a full-grown grey wolf in the area of Croatia is 31 kg. From the top of the muzzle to end of the tail it is about 170 cm long, with an average height of 70 cm. Its fur is grey. As compared to other members of the carnivore family, wolves as a species are not very demanding as regards the habitat. For wolves, the basic requirements to be met by a habitat are food and shelter. Up to the present days they survived in hardly accessible areas, but they also live in the immediate vicinity of humans. For them the most favourable conditions are thick forests and thickets with integrated meadows. They also tolerate deforested habitats in low karst areas. The number of wolves inhabiting Croatia is estimated at 130-170. It is believed that as far back as 1894 the wolves inhabited the entire area of Croatia, but afterwards, as a result of massive hunting for awards, they began to dissapear, in the first line from the lowland continental parts of Croatia. Presently wolves may be found in the area of Gorski kotar, Lika and Dalmatia, or rather on 32.4 per cent of the total area of the mainland part of Croatia. The area in which wolves appear occasionally and which is leaning against the Dinarides covers an area of 17.7 per cent of the mainland Croatia of the northern and the southern side.

 
Name & Conservation status
English name: LYNX
Latin name: LYNX LYNX
In the language of the given country: RIS
Conservation status: CR - Critically Endangered
Taxonomy
Regnum: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Classis: Mammalia
Ordo: Carnivora
Familia: Felidae
Genus: Lynx
Description Way back in 18th an 19th century lynx has already been extinct from most of European countries that it used to inhabit. In Croatia, last specimens were inhabiting Gorski Kotar and Velebit regions before they completely disappeared. By spontaneously relocating itself the beast found its way back to Croatia after nearly one century! Because of the good conditions of habitat and the environment, lynx population has expaned which lead to reduced number of deer, moufflon and mountain goat, their most signifficant prey. Today it's considered that there are not more than 50 animals living in Croatia and they are strictly protected, but poachers take laws into their hands, abuse it and brutalities still continue! Lynx in Croatia are more similar to lynx from Czech than from Norway. No evidence was found for differences in cranial measurements between the Croatian reintroduced and the Balkan autochthonous lynx population, so there is no reason to define the later population as a separate subspecies.

 
Name & Conservation status
English name: BROWN BEAR
Latin name: URSUS ARCTOS
In the language of the given country: SMEĐI MEDVJED
Conservation status: NT - Near Threatened

Taxonomy
Regnum: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Classis: Mammalia
Ordo: Carnivora
Familia: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Description The brown bear (Ursus arctos) has historically been a hunted species in Croatia. It was considered a dangerous animal that damaged crops, preyed on livestock and competed with hunters for deer and other game. For centuries it was pursued through tracking, still hunting, snares and poisoning.
European Brown bear (Ursus arctos), is a subgroup of brown bear which was once spread all over entire Euro - Asia and North America. In Croatia, there is a population living in part of Dinaric massif, and after the Carpathians, this one is the second in Europe in number. Brown bear is almost exterminated from Westem Europe, remaining populations are quite small, mutually separated and in process of disappearance.
Brown bears are living in Croatia on about 10 000 km2 of mostly forestry areas in Dinaric ranges - in Gorski kotar, Lika, or rather from Snježnik and Risnjak across the Plitvice Lakes area to Velika Kapela, Mala Kapela, Plješivica and Velebit. The estimated population counts about 600 samples which fits the capacity of the area.
Bears are the biggest continental carnivorous animals. In Croatia, bear females have in average 100kg, and bear males 150kg, but some of them could go over 300kg. Although true carnivorous animals by their body construction, 95% of their needs for food are satisfied by vegetable food, mostly taken from invertebrates and big animal carrion.
Among vegetable food during spring and summer herbaceous plants and grasses are dominating, joined by some soft fruits in summer and autumn as the main food for collecting of underskin fat for winter reserve.
Bear spends winter in lair, but active individuals could be found during the entire winter. The longest rest is that of gravid females which are delivering 1 to 4 blind youngsters of 1/3 kg in January. The bears live in nature as long as 10 to 20 years, but the average age of bear population meant for hunting is about 5 years. They need a large space for living, because male bears are wandering around on more than 200 km2.
The brown bear population in Croatia is numerous and thus the bear can be hunted legally without fear of endangering the species. The bears can be up to 400+ kg in weight and the trophies are high quality.
Brown bears vary in color from blonde to black, and very rarely, even white, but they are usually medium brown with light tipped fur on their head and upper body. Coloration may change with the seasons. Their thick coats composed of coarse, protective, guard hairs and soft underfur keep them warm in the winter. In summer, they shed a lot of underfur and can look shaggy.

 

Name & Conservation status
English name: OTTER
Latin name: LUTRA LUTRA
In the language of the given country: VIDRA
Conservation status: EN - Endangered
Taxonomy
Regnum: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Classis: Mammalia
Ordo: Carnivora
Familia: Mustelidae
Genus: Lutra
Description The otter (Lutra lutra) is a carnivore belonging to the marten family (Mustelidae). It is Europe's largest marten. It has a slender, elongated body with short legs. The body can be from 100 to 120 cm in length, and its flat tail can be 35 to 55 cm long. It can reach a mass of up to 11 kg.

The fur on its back is dark brown, and somewhat lighter on the neck, chest and belly. It is adapted for life in the water, including the sea. It has small ears with a valve that closes off the entrance to the hearing canal, and webbed feet. The otter has a thick layer of fat under the skin, and its thick, fatty fur protects it from the cold water. It has an excellent sense of smell, and the tips of its whiskers are very sensitive to touch, helping it to find food in murky water. Its eyes are position near the top of its head, and it can see both above and below the water's surface when it swims just under the surface, even though its sense of sight and hearing are less developed. It calls out with a quiet but clear whistle, and also snorts, squeals and growls. It builds its den, with an entrance under water, near calm river banks covered with dense vegetation, or under old trees with massive submerged roots. It is active at dusk and at night. It feeds on fish, crabs, shellfish, frogs, small mammals and other aquatic animals. It can live from 12 to 20 years. All large carnivores are the natural enemies of the otter.

Today, this species is primarily threatened due to the destruction of favourable habitats, water pollution, disturbances and poaching. In Croatia, it has been protected since 1972 by the Act on the Protection of Rare and Threatened Species. The otter was included in the Red Book of Threatened Animal Species in Croatia (Mammals), and is also included in endangered species list at the European level.

Name & Conservation status
English name: MELES
Latin name: MELES MELES
In the language of the given country: JAZAVAC
Conservation status: LC - Least Concern
Taxonomy
Regnum: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Classis: Mammalia
Ordo: Carnivora
Familia: Mustelidae
Genus: Meles
Description Meles lives in deep subterranean shelters. Night activity and big choice of food have made it possible for meles to survive in peoples closeness. Meles is our biggest beast of martens family and has up to 17 kg, lives in forests close to meadows and fields, and looks for shelter in dug badgers hole up to 5 m deep. There are several of such holes at the Plitvice Lakes which are very interesting when found, because of their dimensions, numerous holes and amount of material that was dug out. Meles food are invertebrates and small vertebrates that meles is capable of catching, as well as carrion, cereals, fruits and roots.

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