SLOVAKIA
Plants and Animals
Plants and Animals
Cities in SLOVAKIA
| Bratislava |
Plants and Animals
Plants
Rose, SlovakiaPhoto: Jozef Kotulic CC 3.0 no changes made
The mountainous areas are home to the varied flora of Central Europe: extensive forests with both deciduous trees (maple, rowan, oak, beech, birch) and coniferous trees (pine, fir, spruce, larch, yew); ice age remnants such as bramble and stone creek; bearberry, many kinds of orchids and many other, often endemic plant species. Approximately 1,300 special species of flowers and plants can be found in the Tatra mountains.
Winter lime tree, SlovakiaPhoto: Toubib at Dutch Wikipedia CC 3.0 no changes made
The tree line lies between 1200 and 1400 metres. Between 1850 and 2600 metres, under difficult conditions, there are still about 300 small plant species. About 40 species of these can be found above 2600 metres. In the river valleys one often finds a park-like landscape. Limba", an endemic species of pine, can be found until 1950. The national tree of Slovakia is the winter lime tree. The national flower of Slovakia is the rose.
A network of reserves and national parks provide adequate protection for flora and fauna; the national parks are located on the border with Poland and are managed in cooperation between the two countries. The national parks of the Low and High Tatras form the largest nature reserve. Rare plants such as edelweiss can be found here.
Animals
Carpathian chamois, SlovakiaPhoto: Marcin Bialek CC 3,0 no changes made
The animal world has a Central European character; in the mountains, there is an alpine-like fauna with, among others, marmots, snowmice and Carpathian chamois, the largest known form of this hoofed animal. The large predators are still (very) rare: wildcat, lynx, wolf and brown bear. Some elements of Eastern European origin penetrate into Slovakia, including the golden eagle.
Golden Eagle, SlovakiaPhoto: Bohuš Cícel CC 3,0 no changes made
Trout, pike, carp and eels swim in the waters of Slovakia on a large scale. Large catfish live in large reservoirs (e.g. Orava) and a special species of salmon can be found in the rivers of north-west Slovakia.
Slovakia also has many small nature reserves, such as the landscape of Pol'ana in the Slovakian Ore Mountains, the National Park in Pieniny and the largest wetland in Central Europe, Súr, to the northeast of Bratislava. Due to industrialisation and air pollution (acid rain), many species of trees, plants and animals are threatened with extinction.
Sources
Lacika, J. / Tatras
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc
Meyer, M. / Tsjechië, Slowakije
ANWB
Samuhel, S. / Mountain walks in the High Tatra
Rother
Wilson, N. / Czech & Slovak Republics
Lonely Planet
CIA - World Factbook
BBC - Country Profiles
Copyright: Team The World of Info