Delta's Fauna

The Delta's fauna comprises terrestrial and aquatic species: 3272 species of nonvertebrates (from them 2219 insects), 84 species of fish, 10 species amphibians, 11 species reptiles, 315 species birds and 41 species mammals. Many of the specific Delta's animals are migrating, without a well précised area of habitat.

Birds are very rich in their variety, to local species being added the migratory ones, which are using Delta only as a transit zone, or even stopping and nestling here. Excepting seven species of birds, the rest are covered by international protection conventions, despite the fact that some are not endangered species in the Danube Delta. The ornitophauna does not comprises endemic or subendemic species. Between the rare birds we number the pelican ( Pelecanus onocrolaturs and P. crispus ), the cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis si P. pygmesu), the egret ( Egretta alba si E. garzetta ), the spoon bill, the big owl, the white tail eagle etc.

Like anywhere in Europe more than half of the mammals are endangered because of the antropic pressure put on them during the last decades. There are rare species as the otter (Lutra lutra), the mink (Mustela lutreola), the ermine (Mustela erminea) or species came through migration, the enot dog (Nycterentes procyonoides ) and the jackal (Canis aureus).

In the last years the wolf presence has not being recorded, being replaced, probably, by the jackal.

The ichtyologic fauna, the second in richness after reed, comprises species of fish specific to Danube Delta spreading channels (starlet, Acipenser ruthenus , bleak, Alburnus alburnus , rapacious carp, Aspius aspius etc. Elymus pycnattum deltaicus ), at which are added series of migrant marine species (beluga, Huso huso , sturgeon, Acipenser gueldenstaedti , sevruga, A. stellatus , Danube mackerel etc.) and of marsh (carp, Cyprinus carpio , pike, Esox lucius , crucian, Carassius auratus gibelio, tench, Tinca tinca etc. ). 26 of these species are protected by Berna Convention.