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Slovenia's highlight species
Here are some good reasons for visiting Slovenia...
Brown Bear Ursus arctos
Around 1000 wild Brown Bears live in Slovenia and roam acros the vast Dinaric forests.
Scopolia carniolica
Characteristic plant of Dinaric beech forests, first discovered in Slovenia.
White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos
Rare breeding bird in old beech forests of the Dinaric region.
Primula carniolica
Endemic species of Slovenia, inhabiting wet rocky cliffs in the Dinaric mountains.
Ptarmigan Lagopus muta
Slovenia holds a good population of this typically Alpine grouse.
Photo: Tomaž Velikonja
Campanula zoysii
Endemic bellflower of the Southeastern Alps with most of its distribution range in Slovenia.
Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis
Colourful bird of mountain rocky pastures.
Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca
Elusive grouse, living on steep grassy and rocky slopes on the mountains of western Slovenia
Photo: Tomaž Velikonja
Cypripedium calceolus
In Slovenia this beautiful orchid is commoner in some Alpine valleys, while rare in other regions.
Hazel Grouse Bonasa bonasia
Elusive species of conifer and mixed mountain forests in the Alps and Dinaric mountains.
Photo: Tomaž Velikonja
Nigritella lithopolitanica
Endemic vanilla orchid of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps.
Alpine Marmot Marmota marmota
Loud alarm calls of marmots are a quintessential sound of alpine mountain pastures.
Fritillaria meleagris
Rare "marsh tulip" of wet meadows and riparian forests.
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva
Small populations occur in primeval forests of the Dinaric mountains and in some Alpine valleys.
Predatory Bush Cricket Saga pedo
Rare and endangered cricket of dry karstic grasslands.
Hladnikia pastinacifolia
Endemic species of the Trnovo forest (Trnovski gozd) in western Slovenia. Found nowhere else in the world.
Photo: Paul Tout
Ural Owl Strix uralensis
Slovenia has one of the highest breeding densities of this species in Europe.
Olm Proteus anguinus
Enigmatic cave salamander of the Karst's underground.
Photo: Slavko Polak
Alpine Longhorn Beetle Rosalia alpina
Rare longhorn beetle of mountain beech forests.
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria
Rare breeder in the Alps, but commoner in winter on limestone cliffs in the Karst region.
Photo: Aleš Jagodnik
Apollo Parnassius apollo
An increasingly rare butterfly of mountain pastures on south-facing slopes.
Leptodirus hochenwartii
Endemic cave beetle of the northern Dinaric mountains, first discovered in Postojna cave in Slovenia.
Horn-nosed Viper Vipera ammodytes
Europe's most venomous snake, living in rocky limestone areas in the Karst and in the mountains.
Lilium carniolicum
A beautiful lily that was first discovered in Slovenia. Is found on sunny mountain pastures.
Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus
One of Europe's rarest woodpeckers; it is not difficult to observe in some conifer forests in Slovenia.
Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum
Europe's smallest owl inhabiting mountain conifer forests.
Alpine Ibex Capra ibex
Majestic inhabitant of the rocky world above the treeline.
Eryngium alpinum
One of the most beautiful alpine plants, now sadly very rare and confined to a few mountains.
Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius
Oak-forest specialist with its stronghold in the lowland riparian forest of eastern Slovenia.
Hacquetia epipactis
Common early spring flower in forests across most of Slovenia.
Carniolan Burnet Zygaena carniolica
Typical Lepidoptera of the region, found commonly on a variety of meadows.
Marbled Trout Salmo marmoratus
Endemic fish of the Adriatic basin. Its type locality in Slovenia is the river Soča with its tributaries.
Find out more about species and biodiversity in Slovenia
in the Habitats section
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