TYPICAL PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN ROMANIA

The flora and fauna in Romania vary with the different types of relief The flora and fauna in Romania vary with the different types of relief. Unfortunately, in Romania as well as all over the world, there are many species of plants and animals threatened with extinction. In this presentation the names of protected plants and animals are written in red.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE MOUNTAINS Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) Alpine meadows Junipers Mountain peony/alpenrose – Rhododendron Kotschy Coniferous forests (firs, spruces, pines, yews, larches) Snake’s head/checkered lily– Fritillaria meleagris Beech forests

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE MOUNTAINS The Swiss Pine – Pinus cembra Black/red vanilla orchid– Nigritella nigra/rubra Lady’s slipper orchid - Cypripedium calceolus Endemic species which can be found only in The “Piatra Craiului” Mountains Piatra Craiului pink Dianthus Callizonus Yellow mountain poppy - Papaver alpinum sspcorona-Sancti-Stefani

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE MOUNTAINS The brown bear – the Carpathian bear The wolf The Bison – Bison bonasus bonasus Lives only in 2 natural reserves in Romania The squirrel Romania has the largest bear population in Europe Lynx lynx – “The Carpathian panther” The wild boar Rupicapra rupicapra – The chamois. Lives on the highest mountain ridges (up to 1800 m) The Carpathian deer The marten

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE MOUNTAINS Hazel grouse Tetrastes bonasia rupestri The wood grouse The Golden eagle – Aquila chrysaetos The horned viper The “Asprete” (Romanichthys valsanicola) The only fish which has only a Romanian name. Is is the oldest fish in the world and the rarest fish in Europe, possibly in the world. Endemic species – lives only in Arges River. The bearded eagle (Gypaetus barbatus) Also known as “the bone eater”, it was declared “extinct” in 1938. A pair was recently seen in the south-west. The trout The rainbow trout

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE HILLY AREAS Deciduous trees forests (oak, hornbeam, lime, beech, birch, elm, maple trees) The Double Fernleaf Peony – Paeonia tenuifolia “Zau de Campie” Natural Reserve Fruit trees, especially apple trees Vineyards Different species of oak are well represented.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE HILLY AREAS The European rabbit The fallow deer The beaver The badger The wolf The wildcat The fox

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE HILLY AREAS The Eurasian jay The black viper The nightingale The hoopoe The woodpecker The pheasant

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE PLAIN Different types of grass Corn poppy Fields of corn, wheat, rape plant, sunflower

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE PLAIN The ground squirrel Lizard The field mouse The common hamster The polecat The mole The hare The hedgehog

It disappeared many years ago, only few birds have been seen PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE PLAIN The quail The partridge The owl The skylark The great bustard – Otis tarda It disappeared many years ago, only few birds have been seen in the west The tortoise The kite

NATURAL RESERVE OF THE BIOSPHERE THE DANUBE DELTA – NATURAL RESERVE OF THE BIOSPHERE In September 1990, the Romanian Government declared the Danube Delta and some nearby areas (580 000ha) as a Biosphere Reserve (RBDD). In the same year the Danube Delta was recognized as a wetland of international importance, especially as a waterfowl habitat, and it was included in the RAMSAR Convention together with other 600 similar areas. In December 1990, the Danube Delta was included on the UNESCO list of World Cultural and Natural Heritage The only delta in the world which was declared reserve of the biosphere. It has the most compact reed plot in the world. It annually grows with 40 square meters. There are 135 species of fish and 331 species of birds in the Danube Delta, most of them protected. The Danube Delta is also called “ the birds’ paradise”. There are many excellent bird watching areas in Romania, the most stunning of which is the Danube Delta - 5000 square kilometers of waterways, lakes, floating reed islets, sand dunes and virgin forest.

the most northern subtropical European forest PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE DANUBE DELTA Floating reed islets Riverside coppices (oaks, poplars, willows, wild vine, lianas) Reed and rush Water-lilies Letea Forest – the most northern subtropical European forest

PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE DANUBE DELTA 131 species of FISH Sturgeons (source of caviar) Carp Catfish Pike Many species of REPTILES – all of them are protected Many species of AMPHIBIANS The tortoise The steppe viper (endangered) The frog Lizards

Rhyparioides metelkana – PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE DANUBE DELTA INSECTS Rhyparioides metelkana – night butterfly, unique in Europe Rusalia – a type of dragon-fly The black widow The mosquito MAMMALS The otter The polecat The racoon dog Mink The dolphin

the largest colony in Europe PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE DANUBE DELTA 331 species of BIRDS The grey heron The pelican – the largest colony in Europe The great egret Many species of wild geese and ducks The cormorant The swan

PROTECTED PLANTS IN PLOIEŞTI Yew tree Taxus baccata The Chestnut-trees Boulevard Judas tree Gingko biloba Sycamore Magnolia

The century-old pear-tree – PROTECTED PLANTS IN PLOIEŞTI Oak White lime-tree Japanese pagoda tree Mulberry tree The century-old pear-tree – unique in Ploiesti

Presentation made by pupils from “Mihai Eminescu” School Ploiesti for the “Comenius” Multilateral School Partnership TOGETHER FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT GREEN Steluţa Nicolae and Daiana Grigore (8B) A group of pupils from 8th grades Teachers involved: Viorica Maftei (Geography) Lavinia Dumitrică (Biology) Sorina Bărbuceanu (English) Hortensia Bogdan (primary-school teacher) Boroghina Bogdan(professor of computer studies) Comorasu Richard(student) Stefan Cosmin(student) Slides 18-19 were made with the help of Mrs. Doina Gheorghe from Prahova Environmental Protection Agency