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EUROPE
From birds to whales, Europe has plenty of myriad indigenous species that are just as impressive as Africa's Safaris. Among them are lynx, bears, whales, wild horses and bison, along with other endangered species. eat and drink. Here are some of the best wildlife destinations in Europe for you to visit .
Bay Of Biscay, Europe
The Bay of Biscay, lies along the western coast of France from Point Penmarc'h to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal is a great whale watching spot in Europe. A perfect spot to see beaked whales, blue whales, humpback and sperm whales.
Belarus, Europe
Belarus is mostly covered with dense forest, and is populated with partisan fighters during World War II and also an abundance of wildlife like large mammals. Herds of European bison, wild boar, elk and packs of wolves are all found in the vast Belarusian forest. The Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park in the West of Belarus has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979 and is one of the last remaining refuges of the Europe’s largest mammal, the European bison.
Croatia, Southeast Europe
With mountain ranges in the east and the Adriatic to the west, Croatia is one of Europe’s biodiversity hotspots which has a diverse range of habitats. This is one of the Europe’s last colonies of griffon vultures that lives on the island of Cres and can be seen from the town of Beli. On the eastern side of Cres and Losinj, pods of Mediterranean bottlenose dolphins can be regularly spotted from land. The country has more than 1000 islands lie off the coast of Croatia and the 14 islands that make up the Brijuni archipelago and are all part of a protected national park. The Dinaric Alps to the east are a great destination to find lynx, wolf and brown bear.
Finland, Europe
One of the most popular wildlife destinations in Europe is Finland. 86 per cent of the country is covered in forests populated with Brown bears, wolves, lynx and beavers. Take deep into the Elimyssalo Nature Reserve and spend a night to spot bears. Finland also has fantastic place for bird watchers and is home to six different species of owl. Kussamo in the east and Oulu in the west are both famous bird watching areas and are breeding grounds for hundreds of species of birds.
Lundy Island, UK
Lundy is the largest island that rises 400 feet out of the Bristol Channel, famous for its birdlife and more than 35 different species breed on the island each year. Best Place to watch Puffins is Lundy Island . Though Lundy’s puffin population suffered a drastic decline over the last few decades,but population of puffins has increased with removal of the island’s rats. Along with puffins there are plenty of raptors, such as the Peregrine Falcon. From May to October, there are a range of activities including snorkelling safaris and guided walks. The waters off Lundy are England’s only Marine Nature Reserve and are home to a variety of species including sponges, corals and a colony of grey seals. In the summer months Lundy’s waters are often visited by basking sharks, which are easily spotted from the mainland.
Norfolk
Blakeney National Nature Reserve on the Norfolk coast is an important breeding ground for grey and common seals, which are both increasing in numbers. The east coast of England probably isn’t the first place that springs to mind for wildlife watching, but large colonies of seals and a plethora of sea-bird species call the rugged coastline home. Best time to visit this place is from April to October, when Bishop’s Boats run seal watching trips to Blakeney Point several times per day.
The semi-frozen fjords of northern Norway is the place to spot hundreds of killer whales, known as Orca, which follow vast shoals of herring along the Norwegian coastline each year, the best time for whale-watching trips from Tysfjord is from the end of October until January, including snorkelling opportunities. . Norway is also a home to Jerv, or European wolverine, along with brown bear, wolves, elk and lynx population in Norway’s extensive pine forests.
Pyrenees, France and Spain
Located in the border between France and Spain , the Pyrenees are home to a number of bird species including majestic golden eagles and huge bearded vultures along with few brown bears. The best time to go to the Pyrenees is in autumn, with warm, dry days in September and October. Besides birds watching visitors can enjoy hiking too.
Scottish Highlands and Inner Hebrides, UK
The Isle of Rum is well known for its large population of red deer but you can also spot wild goats, ponies, seals, otters and sea eagles. A colony of Manx shearwaters live in the island’s soft volcanic cliffs and the 120,000 seabirds make quite a spectacle when they take to the sky. One of the last remaining wilderness areas in the UK is Ranoch Moor in the Scottish Highlands and is home to mountain hares, red deer and golden eagles.
Slovakia's mostly mountainous territory spans about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi), with a human population of over 5.4 million and it is home to both the critically endangered Tatra chamois (mountain goat) and brown bear along with lynx and wolves. Situated in the north east of the country, the Tatras Mountains form a natural border between Slovakia and Poland and are easily accessed by train. So, visiting Slovakian forests to track wolf and lynx in the Carpathian Mountains is worthwhile.
The Camargue, Europe
The Camargue, a vast plain covering much of the Rhône Delta, is situated on the south coast of France, is full of surprises. Its an exclusive spot for bird watchers as it is a home to more than 400 bird species, the Camargue is one of the only places in Europe where you can see the greater flamingo. During the summer months, the Camargue becomes beautiful with presence of as many as 20,000 of the pink, stilt-legged birds as well as hovering marsh harriers and multi-coloured bee-eaters. The area is beautifully famed for its wild populations of grey horses and horned bulls, both of which are breeds native to the Camargue.