Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus). Photo: T. Krištín

Wildlife is primarily dependent on vegetation and therefore it can be divided into forest- and nonforest-types. Like in the vegetation, a vertical arrangement of zoocoenoses can generally be observed.

Nesting little bittern (Danube inland delta). Photo: P. Áč

Flood plain forests along the Danube are the home of diverse avifauna, such as cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), night heron (Nycticorax nicticorax), green woodpecker (Picus viridis), golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus), black kite (Milvus migrans), white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) etc..

Abundant life in the Danube inland delta. Photo: P. Áč

Brooks and rivers host fish: huchen (Hucho hucho), brown trout (Salmo trutta), umber (Thymallus thymallus), burbot (Lota lota) - a mysterious predator, sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus), common crab (Astacus torrentium)... Fish feed on crustaceans and insects. A glacial relict - a fairy shrimp (Branchinecta paludosa), has found its refuge in the Furkotské Lake in the Vysoké Tatry Mts.

Otter consuming fish - its prey (II). Photo: P. Áč

Among amphibians living in water, wetlands and periodically flodded areas there are the European tree frog (Hyla arborea), field frog (Rana arvalis), Carpathian newt (Triturus montandoni), crested newt (Triturus cristatus). The marsh tortoise (Emys orbicularis) is the only tortoise living on the Slovak territory. On the stream banks, occassionally otter (Lutra lutra) and returning beaver (Castor fiber) can be spotted .

Due to intensive agriculture hare is not as common as it used to be in the past. Photo: P. Áč

On the lowland meadows, grassland, pastures and fields, besides species like partridge (Perdix perdix), quail (Coturnix coturnix), corncrake (Crex crex), suslik (Citellus citellus), hamster (Cricetus cricetus) and hare (Lepus europaeus), there are also present less common species such as bustard (Otis tarda) and curlew (Numenius arquata). Among insects contributing to the biodiversity of these ecosystems are also praying mantis (Mantis religiosa), grasshopper (Acrida hungarica) and bush cricket (Saga pedo).

Imperial eagle (Aquilla heliaca). Photo: S. Harvančík

Diverse wildlife communities inhabitate forests. Among vertebrates living in deciduous forests there are tree snake (Elaphe longissima), kite (Milvus milvus), nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), imperial eagle (Aquilla heliaca), wild boar (Sus scrofa), wild cat (Felis silvestris), the dormouse (Glis glis) and many others.

Nutcracker helps the expansion of cembra pine and hazelnut. Photo: Z. Vlach

The biocoenose of coniferous forests includes three-toad woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), crossbill (Loxia curvirostra), capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix), brown bear (Ursus arctos), lynx (Lynx lynx), wolf (Canis lupus) and other species.

Lynx lurking in ambush. Photo: P. Áč

Wolves often cover long distances in search for food. Photo: P. Áč

A population of several hundred brown bears is an evidence that Slovak nature still hides almost intact places. Photo: Z. Vlach

The upper forest boundary constitutes a significant floristic and faunistic ecoton. Several endemics and glacial relicts are well adapted to prevailing harsh life conditions in the alpine zone that is also the home of birds such as wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) and mammals like alpine marmot (Marmota marmota ssp. tatrica) and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra ssp. tatrica).

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