Albanian fauna and flora

Few countries in the world in proportion to their size, have such a variety of plants, as Albania. Climate diversity, geological composition and geographical position allow the flora and fauna of Albania to be as unique as they are. After the fall of the communist regime, the Albanian government aware of the rich heritage of the flora and fauna, has taken precautions in order to ensure the conservation and rational use for the benefit of both: people and nature. It includes fishing and uncontrolled hunting which can lead to the extinction of certain endangered species. The legislation against these two practices needs to be monitored.

Flora

In the Albanian soil grows about 3,200 species of plants that not only account for most of the Balkan flora, but also include plants from more distant regions.

The most typical plants in Albania are the same as in the Meditterranean region. These are olive trees, vineyards and fruit trees, including fig, orange and lemon trees. However, the landscape offers more or less different fruits according to the seasons: cherry trees bloom in May, persimmon (persimmon tree) line the roads throughout the north of the country in November, and the  nuts are widespread in the Albanian highlands.

Another example is the heather, oak aegilops, broom and cypress. The Llogara national park on the coast and that of Divjaka offer wonderful walks through wild pine forests and you will probably see lynx.

The interior reminds more broadly Central Europe with its mountains and evergreen forests. Depending on the altitude at which you are located, the vegetation will be more or less dense.

The flora of Albania also includes nearly 300 medicinal plants still used to cure and relieve pain. This rich and varied flora made Albanian specialists study many and different cases.

Fauna

The mild climate, abundant forests, hydrography and topography of the country and the mountainous nature of the terrain are all factors that contributed to the Albanian fauna richness and remarkable variety. The animal world in Albania, as well as vegetation, is highly similar to that of the Mediterranean countries and Central Europe. You meet many species of wild animals: wolves, foxes, bears, hares, deer, ibex, and many others.

Albania also has a great ornithological wealth. In addition to all domestic birds, it is populated by many wild birds, particularly observable in the lagoon of Karavasita inthe National Park of Divjaka.

Albanian seas, lakes and rivers are home to about 110 families of all species of fish in the Mediterranean Sea : mullet, bar and trout are some of the fish found in Albania. If you go through the Pogradec region, or if you decide to cross the border with Macedonia, you are sure to hear about the koran, a fish that lives only in Lake Ohrid and the River Drin Black. His crossover taste quite similar to that of salmon is popular with people living near this area.