The rich diversity of mammals which dwells inside the forests of the RMNP had as result the integration of large areas into the Natura 2000 network and the characterization of the whole area of the RMNP as “protected”. According to the Environmental Study of the Rodopi Mountain-Range, in the area of the park can be met 57 mammalian species from which 14 of them are referred to the Annex II of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. The RMNP is one of the last refuges for the Brown Bear in Greece. The Brown Bear is threatened to extinction in Greece according to The Red Data Book of Greece, and is mentioned as a species of community interest under the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and one of the largest carnivores that exist.

Other significant species of the region are the Chamois which dwells onto the steep slopes of Rodopi (the main population dwells at the old growth virgin forest of Frakto), the Red Deer which in Greece is threatened with extinction since the total population of the country is 20-30 individuals, the European Otter and many Bat species which according to The Red Data Book of Greece and the IUCN Red list, are mentioned as vulnerable, like the Daubenton's Bat, the Greater Noctule Bat and Geoffroy's Bat.

 

Other species which can be found in the RMNP are the Wolf (which in Greece is characterized as vulnerable), the Roe Deer, the Wild Boar, the European Wildcat, etc.

Following there is an indicative table of the mammals of the RMNP:

 

Mammalia of the Rodopi Mountain Range National Park (RMNP) and conservation status

 

No

SCIENTIFIC NAME

COMMON NAME

RED LIST of THREATENED SPECIES of GREECE

IUCN Red List

HABITATS DIRECTIVE 92/43/EEC

BERN CONVENTION

 

INSECTIVORA

 

Erinaceidae

1

Erinaceus roumanicus Barrett-Hamilton

Eastern European Hedgehog

NE

LC

   

Soricidae

2

Crocidura leucodon Hermann

Bicolored Shrew

NE

LC

 

III

3

Crocidura suaveolens Pallas

Lesser White-toothed Shrew

NE

LC

 

III

4

Sorex araneus L.

Common Shrew

NE

LC

 

III

Talpidae

5

Talpa europaea L.

European Mole

DD

LC

   
 

CHIROPTERA

 

Rhinolophidae

6

Rhinolophus blasii Peters

Blasius's horseshoe bat

NT

LC

II, IV

II

7

Rhinolophus euryale Blasius

Mediterranean horseshoe bat

NT

NT

II, IV

II

8

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Schreber

Greater Horseshoe Bat

LC

LC

II, IV

II

9

Rhinolophus hipposideros Bechstein

Lesser Horseshoe Bat

LC

LC

II, IV

II

Mollosidae

10

Tadarida teniotis Rafinesque

European Free-tailed Bat

LC

LC

IV

II

Vespertilionidae

 11

Barbastella barbastellus Schreber

Barbastelle

 EN

 NT

II, IV

II

 12

Eptesicus serotinus Schreber

Serotine

 LC

 LC

IV

II

 13

Hypsugo savii Bonaparte

Savi's pipistrelle

 LC

 LC

IV

II

14

Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl

Common Bentwing Bat

NT

NT

II, IV

II

15

Myotis alcathoe von Helversen and Heller

Alcathoe Myotis

DD

DD

IV

II

16

Myotis aurascens Kuhl

Steppe Whiskered Bar

DD

LC

IV

II

17

Myotis bechsteinii Kuhl

Bechstein's Bat

NT

NT

II, IV

II

18

Myotis blythi Tomes

Lesser Mouse-eared Bat

LC

LC

II, IV

II

19

Myotis capaccinii Bonaparte

Long-fingered Bat

 NT

VU

II, IV

II

20

Myotis daubentonii Kuhl

Daubenton's Bat

VU

LC

IV

II

21

Myotis emarginatus Geoffroy

Geoffroy's Bat

NT

LC

II, IV

II

22

Myotis myotis Borkhausen

Greater Mouse-eared Bat

NT

LC

II, IV

II

23

Myotis nattereri Kuhl

Natterer's bat

NT

LC

IV

II

24

Nyctalus lasiopterus Schreber

Greater Noctule Bat

VU

NT

IV

II

25

Nyctalus leisleri Kuhl

Lesser Noctule

LC

LC

IV

II

26

Nyctalus noctula Schreber

Noctule

DD

LC

IV

II

27

Pipistrellus kuhlii Kuhl

Kuhl's Pipistrelle

LC

LC

IV

II

28

Pipistrellus nathusii Keyserling & Blasius

Nathusius' Pipistrelle

DD

LC

IV

II

29

Pipistrellus pipistrellus Schreber

Common Pipistrelle

DD

LC

IV

III

30

Pipistrellus pygmaeus Leach

Soprano Pipistrelle

DD

LC

IV

II

31

Plecotus auritus L.

Brown long-eared bat

VU

LC

IV

II

32

Plecotus austriacus J.B. Fischer

Grey long-eared bat

DD

LC

IV

II

33

Vespertilio murinus  L.

Parti-coloured Bat

DD

LC

IV

II

 

LAGOMORFA

 

Leporidae

34

Lepus europaeus Pallas

European Hare

NE

LC

 

(III)

 

RODENTIA

 

Sciuridae

35

Sciurus vulgaris  L.

Red Squirrel

NE

LC

 

III

Gliridae

36

Glis glis  L.

Edible Dormouse

NE

LC

 

III

37

Dryomys nitedula Pallas

Forest Dormouse

DD

LC

 IV 

III

38

Muscardinus avellanarius  L.

Hazel Dormouse

DD

LC

IV

III

Arvicolidae

39

Chionomys (Microtus) nivalis Martins

European Snow Vole

LC

LC

 

(III)

40

Microtus arvalis Pallas

Common Vole

 

LC

   

41

Microtus (Pitymys) subterraneus De Sélys-Longchamps

European Pine Vole

NT

LC

   

42

Myodes (Clethrionomys) glareolus Schreber

Bank Vole

NT

LC

   

Muridae

43

Apodemus agrarius Pallas

Striped Field Mouse

NE

LC

   

44

Apodemus flavicollis Melchior

Yellow-necked Mouse

NE

LC

   

45

Apodemus mystacinus Danford & Alston

Broad-toothed Field Mouse

NE

LC

   

46

Apodemus sylvaticus L.

Wood Mouse

NE

LC

   

47

Mus abbotti Waterhouse (syn. Mus domesticus Rutty, Mus musculus L.)

House Mouse

NE

LC

   
 

CARNIVORA

 

Canidae

48

Canis lupus  L.

Gray Wolf

VU

LC

V

II

49

Vulpes vulpes  L.

Red Fox

NE

LC

   

Ursidae

50

Ursus arctos L.

Brown Bear

EN

LC

II, IV

II

Mustelidae

51

Martes foina Erxleben

Beech Marten

NE

LC

 

III

52

Meles meles  L.

Eurasian Badger

NE

LC

 

III

53

Mustela nivalis  L.

Least Weasel

NE

LC

 

III

54

Mustela putorius L.

European poleca

NE

LC

 

III

55

Lutra lutra  L.

European Otter

EN

NT

II, IV

II

Felidae

56

Felis silvestris Schreber

Wild Cat

NE

LC

IV

II

 

ARTIODACTYLA

 

Suidae

57

Sus scrofa  L.

Boar

NE

LC

   

Cervidae

58

Cervus elaphus  L.

Red Deer

CR

LC

 

III

59

Capreolus capreolus  L.

Roe Deer

VU

LC

 

III

Bovidae

60

Rupicapra rupicapra  (L.) ssp.  balcanica  Bolkay

Chamois

NT

LC

II

III

 

REFERENCES:

 - NATURA 2000

 - IUCN 2018. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-1.

 - Hellenic Zoological Society. (2009). Red List of Threatened species of Greece

 - Hellenic Ministry for the Environment Physical Planning & Public Works (H.M.E.P.P.P.W.), (2002). Special Environmental Study (S.E.S.) of the Rodopi Mountain-Range. [The file folder and content of the S.E.S. is based on the compilation and evaluation of the studies Tsiaoussi et. al. 1996 (Specific Management Plan for the site Periochi Elatia (GR1140003). Greek Biotope-Wetland Centre), Christoforidou et. al. 1998 (Special Environmental Study of Frakto - Haidou Koula and Surrounding Peaks. Prefecture of Drama) and Gatzogiannis et. al. 1999 (Special Environmental Study of the Rodopi region. Project LIFE- NATURE, ARCTOS (Phase II)/ LIFE96 NAT/GR/003222) and has been approved by the 186837/3275/25.9.2006 decision of the General Secretariat for Environment of the H.M.E.P.P.P.W.]. Vol. A & B. Athens: pp 513.

 - Zidarova S. 2006. Small mammals (Insectivora, Rodentia and Lagomorpha) of the Western Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece).

 - Mertzanis, G., Galanaki, A., Georgiakakis, P., Iliopoulos, G., Theodoropoulos, I. Kominos, Th., Kontsiotis, B., Papaioannou, H., Palaskas, D., Tragos, A., Tsiaras, D. and Nouska, P. 2015. Phases A',B', C’: Act: «Surveillance and assessment of the conservation status of the mammalian species of Community Interest in the Rodopi Mountain-Range National Park». Contractor: D. Tsiaras- A. Tsiaras.

 

Glossary for the table of Mammalia

 

Red List of Threatened species of Greece / IUCN Red List  Categories and Criteria:

CR: Critically Endangered

ΕΝ : Endangered

VU: Vulnerable

ΝΤNear Threatened

LC: Least Concern

DD: Data Deficient

ΝΕ: Not Evaluated

Council Directive 92/43/EEC:

II : Annex II (Animal and Plant species of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation)

IV: Annex IV (Animal and Plant species of community interest in need of strict protection)

V: Annex V (Animal and Plant species of community interest whose taking in the wild and exploitation may be subject to management measures)

Bern Convention:

II  : Appendix  II (Strictly protected fauna species)

III : Appendix  III (Protected fauna species)

The above data, which have been used exclusively for the purposes of creating and updating the database of the WILD LIFE FOR EVER project, have been provided by Management Body of Rodopi Mountain-Range National Park (MB-RMNP), Mesochori of Paranesti Drama 660 35, Tel: 2521036774, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , www.fdor.gr and are the intellectual property of their owner. Source: www.fdor.gr/index.php/rodopi-mountain-range-national-park/biodiversity/mammals

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