Early spring in the mountains! Woodpeckers drumming londly, exciting views of large carnivores including the European Brown Bear and other species…………. These are always popular programmes.

Romania is one of the richest countries (in the Continent) in terms of the species living in various habitats. Some of the facts : the bird list contains 364 species, we have 191 fish species, reptiles 30 species, mammals 102 species.
From the 364 species of birds, 109 species can be found in the Piatra Craiului National Park.

The raptor species that you can come across in Piatra Craiului Mountain are : Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Goshawk (Accipiter gentiles), Sparrowhawk (A. nisus), Hobby (Falco subbuteo), Peregrine (F. peregrinus), Kestrel (F.tinunculus), Little Owl (Athene noctua) ..etc.
The Gorges and rocky areas are populated with – Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) , Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) , Swift (Apus apus), Alpine Swift (Apus melba), Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis).


The Carpathian Mountains divide Transylvania from the rest of Romania creating an attractive landscape and offering an amazing range of mountainous species all breeding here :
Capercaillie, Hazelhen, Dipper, Wallcreeper, Ring Ouzel, Nutcracker, Alpine Accentor, Shore Lark, Crag Martin, Alpine Swift, Rock Bunting, Golden and Imperial Eagle, Woodpeckers and many more. The mountainous basins attract other interesting species such as Corncrake, Quail, Great Grey Shrike, plenty of different common and rare Warblers, White and Black Storks, spotted – and lesser spotted Eagles, short-toed Eagles and other raptors as well.

From the approximate 100 mammal species of the country, over 40 % of them live around Piatra Craiului massif. Up to now there are 17 Bat species identified , having as natural shelter the caves and old trees hollows in the national park. Out of these, an important part of them are strictly protected and 6 species are of community interest (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, R. euriale, Myotis bechsteinii, M. blythii, M. myotys, Barbastella barbastellus) .

The Romanian Carpathians are the only place in Europe west of Russia where widespread populations of all three large carnivore species (Bear – Ursus arctos; Wolve – Canis lupus; Lynx – Lynx lynx) still exist. They are home to about 50% of all bears, 35% of all wolves and 30% of all lynx in Europe.

The surveys accomplished showed the existance of three passing corridors between Piatra Craiului and Bucegi mountains. These corridors will have a special protection status.

The invertebrate fauna is amazingly rich, presenting a special scientific interest. It is noticeable the presence of 35 endemic species and 91 described as completely new species for the science. We mention here two endemic species : Nesticus constantinescui (Arahnida) si Rhagidia carpatica (Arahnida, Acari). Piatra Craiului is home of a great number of butterfly species, up to now over 216 species have been identified, some of them rare or endemic ones. Here are some examples : Psodos coracinus dioszeghy – endemic alpine subspecies; Apamea zeta sandorokovacsi - endemic Carpathian species; Erebia pronoe – local Carpathian species, only represented in Piatra Craiului and Bucegi mountains, etc.

Wilderness, wilderness, wilderness – miles and miles of raw nature, breathtaking and unyielding -

The richness in different species that Piatra Craiului has is the result of the really wide variety of conditions that these mountains area offers for vegetal world to develop.
The altitude going over 2200 m makes it possible for all groups of mountain and alpine species to find here proper life conditions. The special biodiversity is favourized by the coexistance of forests, crags, detritus, meadows and small swampy areas. Mushrooms, moss, lichens and flowers find here a real paradise.
A total number of 1118 species and subspecies of plants has been identified on Piatra Craiului area. Knowing the fact Romanian flora registers 3136 spontan species, one can say that these mountains are home for over 30 % of them. If 181 of them are on „Romanian red list of superior plants”, as endemic, rare or vulnerable species.
From all these species we mention only the best known ones, totally protected which make a walk in the area during the summer months a real pleasure : Piatra Craiului Little Pink (Dianthus callizonus) –symbol of the mountain, endemic species; Yew Tree (Taxus baccata); Angelica (Angelica arhangelica); Black Vanilla Orchid (Nigritella nigra); Red Vanilla Orchid (Nigritella rubra); Alpine Poppy (Papaver alpinum ssp. corona-sancti-stefani); Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina); Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum); Globeflower (Trolius europaeus); Rhododendron Mytifolium and Rhod. Kotschy; Gladiola Imbricatus; Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea); Daphne Blagayana ; Garland Flower (Daphne cneorum) etc..
Piatra Craiului National Park has an impressive number of wild orchids.