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Mammals of Romania

Romania’s mammals live in forests, meadows, mountains, along waterways and sometimes close to homes. Brown bears, wolves, lynxes and roe deer are familiar examples, but the fauna also includes small animals such as weasels, moles and water shrews.

Mammals feed their young with milk. Romania’s wild species have varied shapes and adaptations: bats fly under their own power, otters swim and moles dig tunnels in the soil.

Which mammals live in Romania?

  • In forests and along their edges: brown bears, wolves, Eurasian lynxes, wild boar, red deer, red squirrels and martens.
  • In open areas: European hares, European ground squirrels and European hamsters use meadows, fields and farmland.
  • Near water: otters, European mink and water shrews are adapted for swimming and searching for food along banks or underwater.
  • In mountain areas: chamois use rocky ground, while Alpine marmots live in colonies and dig burrows.

Diet and behaviour

Mammals eat many different foods. Red deer and roe deer eat plants, wolves hunt, and brown bears are omnivores. Romania’s bats mainly feed on insects.

Some animals are mainly active at night, while others can also be seen by day. Tracks, burrows and food remains may reveal their presence even when the animals stay hidden.

Local species and reintroduced populations

European bison and Alpine marmots have reintroduced populations in Romania. Their history differs from that of species that remained continuously in the same regions. Nor does every bear, squirrel or bat species in the world live here: the local bear is the brown bear, and the naturally occurring squirrel is the red squirrel.

Frequently asked questions

  • Which wild mammals live in Romania? Brown bears, wolves, Eurasian lynxes, wild boar, red deer, roe deer, otters and many small mammals occur in the country.
  • Are bats mammals? Yes. They feed their young with milk and are the only mammals capable of powered flight rather than gliding alone.
  • Are European and American bison the same animal? No. The European bison is Bison bonasus, while the American bison is Bison bison. European bison have reintroduced populations in Romania.