Wildlife guide · Romania

Mammals of Romania –
Interactive Checklist

Romania hosts one of the most diverse mammal faunas in Central and Eastern Europe, shaped by a wide variety of natural habitats. From the extensive forests of the Carpathian Mountains to alpine grasslands, steppe landscapes and the wetlands of the Danube Delta, each region supports distinct mammal communities.

The interactive checklist below brings together species confirmed in Romania based on modern faunistic syntheses and international zoological databases. Filters allow users to explore mammals by habitat, trophic level or ecological status.

49Species listed

6Orders

4Reintroduced

Habitats and key regions

Romanian mammals occupy a broad range of ecosystems. The Carpathians host mountain forests and alpine zones inhabited by large carnivores and high-altitude species such as chamois or marmots. Lowland and steppe areas are important for ground squirrels, hamsters and steppe specialists. Wetlands and the Danube Delta are crucial habitats for otters, European mink and semi-aquatic rodents. The Black Sea is home to three cetacean species including the common dolphin and bottlenose dolphin.

Representative species

Ursus arctos — brown bear portrait in Carpathian forest

Canis lupus — grey wolf in Carpathian landscape

Canis aureus — golden jackal in wetland vegetation

Felis silvestris — European wildcat swimming

Vormela peregusna — marbled polecat standing upright in steppe

Mustela lutreola — European mink in reed bed

Mustela nivalis — least weasel on grassland

Lutra lutra — European otter eating fish in the Danube Delta

Rupicapra rupicapra — chamois on alpine rock face

Spermophilus citellus — European ground squirrel feeding in grass

Glis glis — edible dormouse on branch in deciduous forest

Using the interactive checklist

The dataset can be filtered by habitat (forest, alpine, wetlands, steppe, marine), trophic level (carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, insectivore) and status (native, reintroduced, rare). This structure helps wildlife enthusiasts and nature photographers quickly identify mammals characteristic of different regions of Romania.

Interactive Mammal Checklist of Romania

Complete checklist of 49 species — filter by order, habitat, trophic level or conservation status.

Showing 46 of 46 species

#	Scientific Name	English Name	Order	Habitat	Trophic	Status
1	Erinaceus roumanicus	Eastern Hedgehog	Eulipotyphla	Forest & steppe	Insectivore	Native
2	Talpa europaea	European Mole	Eulipotyphla	Forest & meadow	Insectivore	Native
3	Sorex araneus	Common Shrew	Eulipotyphla	Forest	Insectivore	Native
4	Neomys fodiens	Water Shrew	Eulipotyphla	Wetlands	Insectivore	Native
5	Rhinolophus ferrumequinum	Greater Horseshoe Bat	Chiroptera	Caves & forest	Insectivore	Native
6	Rhinolophus hipposideros	Lesser Horseshoe Bat	Chiroptera	Caves & forest	Insectivore	Native
7	Myotis myotis	Greater Mouse-eared Bat	Chiroptera	Forest	Insectivore	Native
8	Myotis blythii	Lesser Mouse-eared Bat	Chiroptera	Forest	Insectivore	Native
9	Myotis daubentonii	Daubenton's Bat	Chiroptera	Wetlands	Insectivore	Native
10	Nyctalus noctula	Noctule Bat	Chiroptera	Forest	Insectivore	Native
11	Pipistrellus pipistrellus	Common Pipistrelle	Chiroptera	Urban & forest	Insectivore	Native
12	Miniopterus schreibersii	Schreiber’s Bat	Chiroptera	Caves	Insectivore	Native
13	Barbastella barbastellus	Western Barbastelle	Chiroptera	Forest	Insectivore	Native
14	Ursus arctos	Brown Bear	Carnivora	Carpathian forest	Omnivore	Native
15	Canis lupus	Grey Wolf	Carnivora	Carpathian forest	Carnivore	Native
16	Canis aureus	Golden Jackal	Carnivora	Steppe & wetlands	Carnivore	Expanding
17	Lynx lynx	Eurasian Lynx	Carnivora	Mountain forest	Carnivore	Native
18	Felis silvestris	European Wildcat	Carnivora	Forest	Carnivore	Native
19	Vulpes vulpes	Red Fox	Carnivora	Widespread	Omnivore	Native
20	Martes martes	Pine Marten	Carnivora	Forest	Carnivore	Native
21	Martes foina	Stone Marten	Carnivora	Mixed habitats	Omnivore	Native
22	Meles meles	European Badger	Carnivora	Forest & meadow	Omnivore	Native
23	Lutra lutra	European Otter	Carnivora	Wetlands	Carnivore	Native
24	Mustela nivalis	Least Weasel	Carnivora	Widespread	Carnivore	Native
25	Mustela erminea	Stoat	Carnivora	Forest & alpine	Carnivore	Native
26	Mustela putorius	European Polecat	Carnivora	Wetlands	Carnivore	Native
27	Mustela lutreola	European Mink	Carnivora	Wetlands	Carnivore	Rare
28	Mustela eversmanii	Steppe Polecat	Carnivora	Steppe	Carnivore	Rare
29	Vormela peregusna	Marbled Polecat	Carnivora	Steppe	Carnivore	Native
30	Nyctereutes procyonoides	Raccoon Dog	Carnivora	Wetlands	Omnivore	Introduced
31	Capreolus capreolus	Roe Deer	Artiodactyla	Forest & meadow	Herbivore	Native
32	Cervus elaphus	Red Deer	Artiodactyla	Forest	Herbivore	Native
33	Dama dama	Fallow Deer	Artiodactyla	Forest	Herbivore	Reintroduced
34	Rupicapra rupicapra	Chamois	Artiodactyla	Alpine	Herbivore	Native
35	Bison bonasus	European Bison	Artiodactyla	Forest	Herbivore	Reintroduced
36	Sus scrofa	Wild Boar	Artiodactyla	Widespread	Omnivore	Native
37	Sciurus vulgaris	Red Squirrel	Rodentia	Forest	Herbivore	Native
38	Spermophilus citellus	European Ground Squirrel	Rodentia	Steppe	Herbivore	Native
39	Marmota marmota	Alpine Marmot	Rodentia	Alpine	Herbivore	Reintroduced
40	Castor fiber	Eurasian Beaver	Rodentia	Wetlands	Herbivore	Reintroduced
41	Glis glis	Edible Dormouse	Rodentia	Forest	Omnivore	Native
42	Apodemus flavicollis	Yellow-necked Mouse	Rodentia	Forest	Omnivore	Native
43	Apodemus sylvaticus	Wood Mouse	Rodentia	Forest & steppe	Omnivore	Native
44	Cricetus cricetus	European Hamster	Rodentia	Steppe	Omnivore	Native
45	Mesocricetus newtoni	Romanian Hamster	Rodentia	Steppe	Omnivore	Endemic
46	Arvicola amphibius	Water Vole	Rodentia	Wetlands	Herbivore	Native
47	Phocoena phocoena	Harbour Porpoise	Cetacea	Marine	Carnivore	Native
48	Tursiops truncatus	Bottlenose Dolphin	Cetacea	Marine	Carnivore	Native
49	Delphinus delphis	Common Dolphin	Cetacea	Marine	Carnivore	Native

No species match your current filters.

Mountain habitat · Carpathians

Large carnivores of the Romanian Carpathians

The Carpathian Mountains are Europe's most important stronghold for large carnivores. Romania hosts the largest populations of brown bears, grey wolves and Eurasian lynx in the European Union, thanks to extensive forest cover and relatively low habitat fragmentation.

Ursus arctosBrown Bear
Canis lupusGrey Wolf
Lynx lynxEurasian Lynx
Felis silvestrisEuropean Wildcat

Steppe habitat · lowland Romania

Steppe and grassland mammals

Romania's remaining steppe and grassland habitats support several species that have declined across western Europe. Ground squirrels, hamsters and the marbled polecat are characteristic of these open landscapes.

Spermophilus citellusEuropean Ground Squirrel
Cricetus cricetusEuropean Hamster
Vormela peregusnaMarbled Polecat
Canis aureusGolden Jackal — expanding range

Wetland habitat · Danube Delta

Danube Delta and wetland mammals

The Danube Delta's extensive wetlands provide habitat for several semi-aquatic mammals. The Eurasian beaver, successfully reintroduced in recent decades, is among the most significant conservation stories in Romania.

Lutra lutraEuropean Otter
Castor fiberEurasian Beaver — reintroduced
Mustela lutreolaEuropean Mink — rare
Arvicola amphibiusWater Vole

Marine habitat · Black Sea

Black Sea cetaceans

Three cetacean species inhabit Romania's Black Sea waters. All three face conservation challenges from pollution, bycatch and habitat degradation.

Tursiops truncatusBottlenose Dolphin
Delphinus delphisCommon Dolphin
Phocoena phocoenaHarbour Porpoise

Conservation · Romania

Mammals as indicators of wild landscapes

The presence of large carnivores and habitat-sensitive species shows that Romania still preserves extensive natural areas. Monitoring mammal populations contributes to understanding ecological changes and supports long-term conservation efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many mammal species are found in Romania?

Romania hosts over 90 mammal species across diverse habitats. This checklist covers 49 representative species including large carnivores, ungulates, bats, rodents and three cetacean species from the Black Sea.

Where can you see bears, wolves and lynx in Romania?

Romania's Carpathian Mountains are the main stronghold for brown bears, grey wolves and Eurasian lynx. The Southern and Eastern Carpathians offer the best opportunities for wildlife watching, particularly in areas with extensive old-growth forest.

What mammals live in the Danube Delta?

The Danube Delta supports important populations of European otter, Eurasian beaver (reintroduced), water vole and various bat species. The European mink, one of Europe's most endangered mammals, has historically been recorded in the region.

Has the European bison been reintroduced in Romania?

Yes. European bison have been successfully reintroduced in several locations in Romania, including the Southern Carpathians. Other reintroduced species include the Eurasian beaver, Alpine marmot and fallow deer.