Biodiversity
Home to 1,175 species of flora and fauna,
Vjosa Wild River National Park is teeming with life.

Wildlife

Vjosa Wild River National Park is home to many rare wildlife species including more than 150 species of winged insects, around 60 mollusks, at least 31 species of fish, 31 of reptile, 257 of bird, and around 70 mammals. 13 animal species including birds, fish, bat and frog, have been assessed as globally threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This extraordinary region is so untouched that we actually know less about the Vjosa river than we do about the Amazon.

Prosopistoma Vitecek

Stone curlew

Egyptian vulture

Salticidae indet

European eel

European otter

Flora

Although studies are still being conducted to determine the official figure, experts believe that there could be more than 1,500 taxa in Vjosa Wild River National Park. In the Gjirokastra region, according to Malo (2011), 700 higher plant taxa are reported, where 12 taxa are new for Albania, 40 taxa are sub-endemic, and 30 are rare or endangered species. The Horse Chestnut and Queen Olga's Snowdrop have both been classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Platanus orientalis (Maple tree)

Tamarix parviflora (bush)

Arbutus nedo (Strawberry Tree)

Typha minima

Verbascum Sinuatum