Fauna

World Water Day 2025
Every year on March 22, the world celebrates World Water Day by conducting various campaigns and initiatives aimed at raising public awareness about the global water crisis.
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Violators with high-pass vehicles in the Central Balkan National Park have been sanctioned
Park Directorate employees detected unregulated movement of motor vehicles in the Park over the past weekend.
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Ranking in the competition procedures for Chief and Senior Expert in Natura 2000 field.
Ranking in the competition procedures for Chief and Senior Expert in Natura 2000 field.
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Returning home
On 28.02.2025, experts from the Directorate of the Central Balkan National Park and experts from Green Balkans released three birds.
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System for determining the results of tender procedures, opened by Order No. RD-25/ 27.01.2025 of the Director of DNPCB
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Educational meeting with young people from the National School for Mountain Guides in the village of Cherni Osam
On February 13, at the Natural History Museum - village of Cherni Osam, an expert from the Directorate of the Central Balkan National Park held an educational talk with students from the National School for Mountain Guides.
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Ranking in the competition procedure for Senior and Chief Expert in the management of Natura 2000 protected areas
Ranking in the competition procedure for Senior and Chief Expert in the management of Natura 2000 protected areas
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Ranking in the competition procedure for Chief inspector of Control and Security Department - North
Ranking in the competition procedure for Chief inspector of Control and Security Department - North
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World Wetlands Day – “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future!”
On 2 February, the world celebrated World Wetlands Day under the motto “Conserve Wetlands for Our Common Future.”
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Educational meeting with the "Youth Information Center" - Karlovo
The experts of Directorate introduced teenagers from the Youth Information Center - Karlovo and their Romanian guests from Asociatia Mod of Life to the activities of the Central Balkan National Park (NBNP)
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Experts from the Central Balkan National Park participated in the international Midwinter Waterfowl Census
Experts of the Park Directorate participated in the Midwinter Waterfowl Census initiative in the country. They were responsible for surveying 6 large and several smaller water bodies.
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Happy International Mountain Day!
Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve was accepted as a member of the World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves this year.
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Illegally parked van removed from Dzhendema Reserve
After a Central Balkan National Park Directorate employees’ action, an illegally placed van with a surveillance camera and a feeder for wild animals was removed from the territory of the Dzhendema Reserve.
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EMERGENCY ACTION AGAINST MOTORISTS IN THE TERRITORY OF THE CENTRAL BALKAN NATIONAL PARK
On November 2nd and 3rd, an action was held against the unregulated movement of motorcycles on the territory of Central Balkan National Park, led by the Director of the protected area - Georgi Krastev, with the participation of employees from several park sections.
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Central Balkan National Park Directorate celebrated the International Day of Biosphere Parks, November 3, with festival events
On the occasion of the International Day for Biosphere Reserves Central Balkan National Park Directorate held three festival events in the municipal centers of the transition zone of the Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve - in Troyan on October 19, in Sevlievo on October 26 and in Karlovo on November 2
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We are celebrating 33 years since the declaration of the Central Balkan National Park with the exhibition View of the Balkans
On the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of Central Balkan, the Directorate of the park opened an exhibition entitled "View of the Balkans", which collected 15 selected photographs from the amateur photography competition held this year.
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"Study on forest ecosystems in mountain water catchments in Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve" project launched
Study on forest ecosystems in mountain water catchments in Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve" is among the five projects selected in 2024 for Europe and North America.
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Central Balkan National Park employees found the carcass of a killed bear
The competent authorities have been notified and the case is being investigated
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What you need to know when visiting Central Balkan National Park
Wildlife has a right to privacy. Preserve it in its natural state by using wisely your right to recreation and knowledge.
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We celebrate International Ranger Day
Central Balkan National Park Directorate marked the date from the nature protection calendar with two consecutive events.
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The fire in Central Balkan has been extinguished
The rain that fell around 16:00 over the area helped to bring the fire under control. For more than 72 hours, efforts to extinguish it continued in the Steneto reserve on the territory of Central Balkan National Park.
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Central Balkan National Park Directorate and Ethnographic Open- Air Museum ETAR celebrated Saint John's Day
In connection with the celebration of the holiday of medicinal plants on June 23 and 24, visitors to the museum had the opportunity to learn more about herbs from experts of the Park Directorate.
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The first celebration of the Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve was held in the city of Sevlievo
On Sunday (October 1) in the central city square in the city of Sevlievo, the festival event under the title "Common Future for People and Nature", organized by Central Balkan National Park Directorate, supported by Sevlievo Municipality.
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2,366 species of invertebrates and 307 species of vertebrates have been identified on the territory of the Park. The rich species diversity is determined by various factors, such as the specific relief, diversity in altitudes, climate, vegetation, geological past, the presence of rocky habitats, etc.
Several important facts determine to the importance of the Stara Planina and the Central Balkan National Park for the preservation of the faunal diversity of Bulgaria, namely:
- The altitudinal-zonal position of the Central Balkan National Park places it among the high mountains, where well-pronounced zonation in the vertical direction is observed.
- The evolution of the faunal species of the Stara Planina has taken place independently of the rest of our high mountains, which we can judge by the abundance of endemic forms, especially strongly expressed in the high and low mountain zones (endemics are biological species whose distribution is limited to a certain region - for example, European, Balkan, Bulgarian or local endemic);
- The location of the Stara Planina plays an important barrier role for many species and is of decisive importance for the microclimatic features of the region. It divides not only Bulgaria, but also the peninsula into two relatively well-defined faunal parts.
The ridge of the mountain is a watershed of two large watersheds - the Black Sea, through the Danube River, and the Aegean, through the Maritsa River. These watersheds have independent faunogenesis (origin, history of origin), which explains the great faunal differences of their hydrobionts - organisms that live in an aquatic environment or in which certain stages of their development necessarily take place in an aquatic environment.
All this determines the great biological diversity on the territory of the Central Balkan National Park.
Insects have a relatively high percentage of endemism among invertebrates - 113 species, constituting 7% of the total number. Of these, 62 species are Balkan, 31 species are Bulgarian and 20 species are local endemics.

The Balkan Trout (Salmo trutta fario) is a typical cold water fish. Habitat – the fast flowing rivers whose waters are highly saturated with oxygen.

The long-legged buzzard has a pale-rusty body and bright light cream-colored tail and head. Darker specimen also occur, but they also preserve the ruddiness on their head and the pale lower half of the wings.

This is one of the most impressive diurnal predatory species, with a wing span of up to 205 cm. This is the second largest of the eagle species. It is identified by the pale head and the bright white scapulars.

The corncrake is migratory species – flies to Bulgaria in April and flies away in September. They migrate individually during the nigh and in day-time they hide in the grass. It winters in Africa and Madagascar Island.

It is the real Goliath among the owls.In many European countries the species is on the brink of extinction. In Bulgaria it is one of the protected species.

It is one of the most elegant and “slender” owls. When you see it – even only its back, you will immediately give up the thought the owls are boring and grim birds. Although the gray is the predominant color, the rusty pattern of the ordered dark strips catches the eye.

It is one of the largest and most interesting owls in Bulgaria. The wing span is up to 129 cm and the weight – almost 1 kg rank it second to the eagle owl. Its coloration imitates the bark of a tree. It belongs to the dark-eyed owls – its iris is dark brown.

The sousliks are numerous in our country, but threatened in the global aspect, because of the destruction of their habitats.

The pine marten is a typically forest animal. It inhabits old coniferous and mixed forests with hollowed trees.

The Lord of the mountain you would recognize by the paws footprints – the hind ones resemble human but have well expressed traces from the claws. Their length speaks about the age and the size of the animal. The males can reach 350 kg of weigh and live up to 30 years. They inhabit the forests, but often visit the mountain pastures.

It is a bit larger than the domestic one. The body is covered by thick and soft fir with gray-brown coloration in strips and spots. The tail is fluffy with three-four horizontal strips and black top.

Impressing with its noble outlook, the red deer is the second largest European deer. The average body length of the males is 250 cm, and their shoulder length is 152 cm on the average, and the average weight is 235 kg. The females are smaller.

The chamois is characterized by its reddish-brown fur, that becomes dark brown in winter. The coloration on the muzzle is black and white, and there is a characteristic black strip along the whole back. Both sexes are horned.

Middle-sized vespertilionid bat (weight 7 – 18 g and body length 43 –55 mm), which belongs to rich of species genus Myotis. Besides the rest of the middle sized bats of this genus the relatively longer ears reaching to about a half of the body length are characteristic for this species.

The coloration of the fox (Vulpes vulpes) varies from orange-reddish to black. It has a long tail and well-developed hearing.

It mainly inhabits hilly and mountainous areas. In general the wolf can be seen in remote, well-wooded mountainous and inaccessible places. The hiding places of the wolves are located in afforested and well-protected slopes and ravines away from the towns and cities where men live and work. The trails of the wolf resemble those left by domestic dogs. The wolf feeds on mammals and birds.

The coloration on the back of the badger (Meles meles) is silvery and the stomach part is brown, with black and white strips on the head. The trails left by the badger resemble those of the bear, only they are smaller in size.

The wild boar can be found in deciduous and mixed forests. It feeds on fruit, tuber, small mammals, carrion, eggs, etc. When searching for food it can even be seen on the alpine pastures of the park.

The doe inhabits mixed and deciduous forests. It feeds on fruit, leaves, grass, mushrooms, etc. The generative period is from July to august.

The mole rat is nether mole, nor a rat – it belongs to the order of the rodents. It inhabits the typical open spaces.

It is a large, crow-sized falcon, with a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"

The agile frog spends the winter under the water. The female lays eggs (from 600 to 1400) at night, which are situated in small heaps amidst the aquatic plants and fallen twigs.

The blind worm has the capability to “brake” its tail in case of danger, especially when someone tries to catch it.

The young specimens differ from the older ones by their coloration.

The adder or viper (Vipera berus) has a wide sharply broken zigzag-shaped dark stripe. It reaches up to 70, rarely 80 cm in length.

The coloration of the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) varies from rusty to dark brown from above and from whitish with small dark spots to dark brown from below.

The goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is a middle rapacious bird (length of the body – up to 55 sm., spread of the wings – up to 160 sm.).

Тhe kite can be seen near rocky places, outskirts of thin forests and fields with single trees.

There are two basic color types of the tawny owl (Strix aluco) – gray-brown and rusty-brown. Its body is brighter from bellow with nuance of the predominant color of the back. The belly and the chest are checkered with longitudinal and cross cuts

Гърбът на горския сънливец е сивокафяв, а коремът е бял с жълтеникав оттенък.