Discover the animals at Plitvice Lakes National Park

The animal world at the Plitvice Lakes National Park is incredibly rich, thanks to the exceptional level of preservation and the diversity of habitats. Because of its geographical position and pristine nature, the Plitvice Lakes National Park offers a sanctuary for many animal species. This great diversity at the Plitvice Lakes National Park ensures the development and survival of native animal species, many of which are considered endangered and rare around the world.

The Plitvice Lakes are more than a natural phenomenon, they are a true reserve of life, where forests and aquatic ecosystems provide the ideal environment for the thriving of different animal species. Habitat preservation is of utmost importance for the benefit of future generations and the preservation of Croatian natural heritage. The presence of large carnivores, as well as other globally protected endangered species, serves as confirmation of the quality and conservation status of these habitats.

Croatia is among the few European countries still inhabited by the three large carnivores: bear, wolf and lynx. All three species also inhabit the Plitvice Lakes National Park. The Park covers a surface of a little under 300 km2, with its water bodies accounting for a little under 1% of the total Park surface. The Plitvice Lakes National Park extends over a large territory, and the visitor zone and the deep forests inhabited by the large carnivores do not overlap: visitors cannot run into one of these animals. A special place within the Park ecosystem is reserved for four large carnivores described further in the text.

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

According to scientific classification, the brown bear belongs to the Carnivora order, Ursidae family and Ursus genus. The brown bear is a strictly protected species and the largest land carnivore. Bears are covered in thick brown fur and undercoat. Thanks to their adaptive feeding habits, brown bears are not a threatened species — their opportunism plays a vital part in their own survival. In the winter, when food is scarce, the bear will hibernate, or go dormant, and in autumn it will prepare for hibernation by accumulating body fat (up to 30%) and making a den.

At Plitvice Lakes National Park, bears have been systematically monitored for many years, and it has been established that around 30 bears claim the Park as part of their range. Like other wild animals, the brown bear has no concept of borders, it comes into the Park and goes as it pleases. Because of the important role the brown bear plays in balancing the ecosystem, it has become a symbol of the Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Grey wolf (Canis lupus)

The grey wolf is a carnivore from the Carnivora order, the Canidae family and the Canis genus. It is a threatened species and has the status of a strictly protected species in Croatia. The Park is a natural wolf habitat thanks to dense forests, mountain areas and vast areas which allow these animals plenty of roaming and hunting space. Wolves mostly feed on wild game such as deer, wild boar and small mammals. At the Plitvice Lakes National Park, wolves live in packs, and their presence is of vital importance for the entire ecosystem: they keep the prey populations in balance.

Wolf research at the Park includes capturing individual animals, processing data, taking blood samples for genetic analysis and evaluating health. The captured wolf is then fitted with a collar with a GPS transmitter, allowing researchers to keep track of the entire pack for one year. After a year, the collar is automatically released through a drop-off system. Wolves are territorial animals and will defend their ranges, which is why it is practically impossible for the territories of different packs to overlap. Considering that the surface area of the Park is smaller than the area wolf packs usually use, it is clear that the area of the Park is shared by several wolf packs, whose ranges also cover areas outside of the Park.

Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)

The lynx is the largest carnivore belonging to the Felidae family, Felinae subfamily, Felis genus and Lynx subgenus. In Croatia, the lynx is a strictly protected species. The presence of the lynx indicates a very well preserved habitat. The lynx is an apt climber and an ambush predator. Its spotted fur helps it blend in with the surroundings as it stalks its pray, adding to a successful hunt. The lynx feeds on birds, amphibians and smaller mammals. A total of 26 individual animals have been recorded at the Plitvice Lakes National Park, although their presence is not constant. Each year, the area of the Park is used by 7 to 9 individual animals, depending on their migration activities and territorial behaviour.

Otter (Lutra lutra)

Preserved aquatic habitats provide the perfect home for the otter, a carnivore from the weasel family. The otter is a semiaquatic animal, which means that it lives both in aquatic and terrestrial environments. It belongs to the Carnivora order and Mustelidae family. The Lutra lutra, also known as the Eurasian otter, is the only otter species that inhabits the European continent. There are many well-researched traces of this species, which has been wiped out or almost wiped out in many parts of the continent. It is not easy to spot an otter in the wild, but if you are lucky, you may see it swimming in a lake, usually hunting for prey.

The otter is active during the night, and will disappear into dense vegetation or its den on the shore as soon as it senses danger. It is the largest predator of the aquatic ecosystem, feeding mostly on fish, but also amphibians, crustaceans, birds, smaller mammals and aquatic insects. Some 30 individual otters are present at the Plitvice Lakes National Park. The presence of otters is tracked at different locations using camera traps. Otter research at the Park includes collecting saliva and faeces samples and carrying out genetic analyses of individual otters. In addition, two otters were fitted with telemetry transmitters and their movements are tracked via GPS.

The presence of large carnivores, the brown bear (Ursus arctos), grey wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and otter (Lutra lutra), which are all strictly protected species and globally endangered, is a confirmation of the high quality and level of conservation of natural habitats. The forest habitats provide the ideal conditions for the brown bear, grey wolf and Eurasian lynx to thrive, and the pristine aquatic habitats are the perfect haven for the otter. All of these species prefer quiet and secluded areas with plenty of food, shelter for rest and protected spaces to raise their cubs. The diversity and richness of habitats are key in preserving the diversity and richness of fauna. Healthy habitats, where plants and mushrooms can enjoy the ideal growing conditions and animals can find food and shelter, are one of the key characteristics of the Plitvice Lakes National Park, making it a precious sanctuary for many different species.