Observation on the Rhodope Mountains
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Duration: Customized
Ages: 5+
The Rhodope Mountain range, located north of the prefectures of Drama, Xanthi and Rhodope, is the natural border between Greece and Bulgaria. Its total area is approximately 19,000 square meters. km, with 18% of it located in Greek territory and 82% in Bulgarian.
It is one of the most interesting regions of Europe, due to the great biodiversity it has and due to its geomorphology but also to the fact that it has not been affected by glaciers. Thus, several species of Central and Northern Europe migrate to the Rhodopes, which is the southernmost limit of their distribution. Especially in the central and western part of the mountain range there are some of the least altered natural ecosystems in Europe, which are home to a wide variety of rare species of flora and fauna. The Greek part of the mountain range is of great interest, despite its smaller area, where there are large vegetation zones from purely Mediterranean to purely continental and the zone of northern temperate conifers of the pre-alpine zone and Northern Europe, as well as a rich diversity of ecosystems in related small surface area.
The forests that characterize the Rhodope Mountain range are those of Simida, Elatia, the Virgin Forest of Fraktos, Haidu and the Tsichla-Drymou region of N. Xanthi.
The forests of the Rhodopes provide shelter to a large number of animal species that live, move and breed in the area, some of which are rare.
For several species of large mammals, such as bear, wolf, ibex, deer, roe deer and wild boar, the area is the southernmost limit of their range. These animals live and breed in spruce, beech, oak and Scots pine forests.
The main mammal in the area is the brown bear, which is estimated at 25-30 bears and is included in the Red Book of Endangered Vertebrates of Greece as Endangered. The wild goat, which lives on steep slopes in the area of Fraktos, consists of 50-60 individuals. Other species of the area are the jackal, wildcat, badger, woodchuck, otter, as well as some species of bats that are under protection.
As for the avifauna, the area is home to 139 species of birds, which either live permanently or nest and reproduce in the area, or stop here during their migration. The area is the only place in Greece where the grouse and the grouse nest. Finally, five species of raptors breed in the area, such as the white-tailed eagle, the golden eagle, the peregrine falcon, the owl and the woodpecker, as well as woodpeckers such as the black-throated titmouse and the white-tailed hawk.
In particular, in the area of Elatia, many species that are not found in other parts of Greece breed, such as the ruffed-pigeon, the black-backed woodpecker, the snow-backed woodpecker, the woodpecker, the mountain sparrow and the nutcracker.
Also, in the area we find many species of fish fauna, due to the existence of the large number of streams that have water throughout the year. Wild trout live in the waters of Vathyremos and Stravoremas, which prefer clear and flowing waters, rich in dissolved oxygen, which is why they mostly frequent near the sources of the rivers. Trout living in streams are considered isolated. Thus, to be of particular interest as a gene pool.
The amphibians of the area live in the meadows that flow from streams. Waterholes and stream widenings are ideal breeding grounds for many amphibians. 11 species have been recorded in the area, such as the bombina (Bombina variegata) and the crested newt (Triturus cristatus), the green toad (Bufo viridis), the tree frog (Hyla arborea), the alpine newt (Triturus alpestris), the agile frog (Rana dalmatina) and the brook frog (Rana graeca). While the most widespread species are the mountain frog (Rana temporaria) and the salamander (Salamandra Salamandra).