Wild animals you can meet in Poland
If you think that you have to go to the jungle, or the African savanna to see some wild animals living free, think again! Although Poland is mostly known for its history and impressive monuments, it also has some places, where you can see plenty of wild animals in their natural habitiats. In this article yoo will discover several species of animals living free, without any barriers or cages.
The brown bear
The brown bear is a predatory mammal enhabiting the continents of Asia, Nrothern Europe and North America.
The brown bear can live 30-40 years in the wild or up to 50 years in captivity. It is an omnivorous species, which mostlyb eats seeds, snails and birds eggs, and it also hunts for other forest animals and fish.
According to data from 2010-2012, there were at least 17.000 individuals in Europe. In Poland, the brown bear can be found in the Carpathians and in the region of Podkarpacie – in the Tatra mountains and Bieszczady.
The European bison
The European bison is an even-hoofed mammal, which was once in danger of extinction. But luckily, their number has been increasing in recent years. According to 2013 data, there were 1377 individuals living in Poland, most of which 1138 were living in free herds.
Nearly half of the free Polish population of the European bison lives in the Bialowieza Wilderness, but this species can also be encountered in Bieszczady and the Knyszyna Wilderness. In the past, the European bison often appeared in crests of noble families and towns.
The Tatra chamois
The Tatra chamois is a subspecies of the norther chamois, which can be found in the Tatra Mountains in Poland an in the Lower Tatras in Slovakia.
The Tatra chamois only eats plants, most of which are tree shoots and leaves of rowanberry, as well as various types of berries. Both world wars caused the increase of poaching and the decrease of the species abundance, after World War II there were only 26 individuals at the Polish sid of the Tatra Mountains. However, in the 21st century the population began to increase. In 2007, there were 548 individuals.
The gray wolf
The gray wolf is a predatory mammal from the Canidae family, which lives in the forests and mountains of Eurasia and North America.
Most of the gray wolves living in Poland can be found in the podkarpackie, malopolskie, podlaskie and warminsko-mazurskie regions. The wolves live in the forests, in the plains and in the deserts. They are a territorial species.
The wolf marks its territory and doesn’t let in any individuals outside from its pack. The wolf makes its den in the most inaccessible part of its territory.
The Eurasian lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a land mammal from the cat family, the largest of all the lynxes.
According to data from December 31 2010, there were 285 lynxes living in Poland. They are part of two populations. The „lowland” population can be found in north-east Poland, in such areas as the Biebrza Valley and the Bialowieza Wilderness. Meanwhile, the „Carpathian” population can be found in the Eastern and Western Carpathians.
Since the 1980s, the lynx can also be found in the regions of Roztocze and Polesie Lubelskie.
The deer
The deer is a large land mammal, which has numerous subspecies enhabiting Europe, especially part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Central and Southern Europe.
The deer can be found in practically all larger forests complexes in Poland. The environmental preferences of the deer depend on the time of year.
The deer appearing in Poland can be up to 2.5 meters long and 1.5 meters high at the withers. The body weight of a large deer can reach up to 350 kilograms. The deer can reaches its maximum size at the age of approximately 10-14 years.
The boar
The boar is a large mammal from the porcine family and the ancestor of the domestic pig.
Currently it can be found in the northern corners of Africa, as well as in central and southern Eurasia. It can be found in large numbers in the forests of Poland and in smaller numbers in the Tatra mountains.
Back in the early 20th century, the boar was considered a pest in Poland as the culprit of damages in crops. In the 1930s, the abundance of the boar in Poland dropped to barely 16.000 individuals. In 2006, its population began to grow again, making a positivie impact on the local ecosystem.
The beaver
The European beaver is an amphibious type of rodent, considered to be the largest rodent in Eurasia.
It disappeared from the Carpathians around the 16th century, but it came back thanks to the reintroduction, which began in the 1980s. In 1985, two beaver couples were settled in the Tenczynski Landscape Park in the Dulowska Primeval Forest.
The beaver is a social animal, with well expanded communication skills. They often send signals with special poses or touch signals. During their hygienic routines, beavers often help each other to stay clean.
The golden eagle
The golden eagle is a large type of bird from the hawkish family, living in Asia, North America and Europe.
Long ago, the golden eagle was widespread in Poland, but currently there are extremely few individuals living in this country. It can be found mostly in the Tatra Mountains, but also in Pieniny, Beskid Niski and Bieszczady.
The golden eagle populates thick forests with large participation of fir trees and mountains, which are rarely visited by humans. They are mostly seen single or in pairs. They can also be found all year round in nesting places.
The marmot
The marmot is a type of mammal from the squirrel family. Its Polish name, „Swistak” refers to the sound these animals make to call each other or warn against threats.
The most common subspecies of marmot is the Tatra marmot. In Poland, it only lives in the Tatra mountains, above the upper border of the forests, mostly in the halls of the Tatra National Park. The marmot only eats plants, various types of grass and perennials growing in the mountain meadows. The marmot digs up a den in the late autumn and sleeps in it through the entire winter.