Flamingos at Camargue Park | Photo by Achim Prill ()
You’ve seen all the major landmarks, marveled at thousand-year-old cathedrals, and explored the alleys of countless old towns. You’ve conquered the Alps and basked on Mediterranean beaches. What other surprises could Europe possibly have in store for you?
A possible theme for your upcoming travels could be the discovery of natural landscapes and the magnificent creatures that make their homes there. Here are just some of Europe’s more interesting animals to seek out as you chart journeys across less-trodden corners of the continent:
Reindeer: 10 miles north of Tromsø, a city in northern Norway, visitors can experience the Tromsø Arctic Reindeer tour. Here, one can learn about the Sami, an indigenous group inhabiting the Arctic zones of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, and the vital role that reindeer play in their way of life, which is both traditional and modern. Visitors to a family home in the wilderness and its herd of some 300 reindeer can feed the deer, ride in sleds, enjoy a traditional meal and listen to stories told by community elders.
Horses and Flamingos: south of Arles, France and along the Mediterranean Sea is found the Camargue regional park and nature reserve. The delta of the Rhône River, an area made up of wetlands and salt marshes, is home to an ancient breed of white horse bred to help in the management of the herds of black bulls which also reside there. Flamingos also make their home in the region throughout the year.
Puffins: you need not venture to Iceland or the Faroe Islands to catch sight of this clownish bird with the bright orange beak. Puffin colonies in the United Kingdom include those on the shorelines of Skomer Island or South Stack Cliffs in Wales. The remote St. Kilda, on the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, is estimated to house about one-quarter of Europe’s entire puffin population.
Bison: Although the last wild European bison became extinct at the beginning of the 20th century, special breeding programs helped save Europe’s largest mammal, and they were set back into the wild in Poland’s Bialowieza Forest in 1929. The ancient forest is now home to the world’s largest herd of these animals. Winter is the best time of year to observe them, as they gather in herds and leave their tracks in the snow. A webcam installed next to a spot where Polish foresters put out feed for the bison allows the sight of these majestic animals to be enjoyed from anywhere in the world.
Barbary Macaques: Gibraltar, the British Overseas Territory off the coast of southern Spain, is home to a well-established population of Barbary Macaques. Normally found in North Africa, the island’s limestone cliffs and scrub vegetation have proved a congenial habitat for them. The Apes’ Den, by the middle station of the cable car which runs to the top of the rock, is a popular place for tourists to get close to them. Visitors are warned to be careful in their interactions with them, as these wild animals are known to bite and steal possessions.
Polar bear: Due to the remoteness of its habitat in the Arctic ice drifts, few have seen polar bears in their natural surroundings. One of the most likely spots for clapping eyes on the world’s largest land predator is on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, where the bears outnumber people. For obvious reasons, it’s prudent not to visit the area independently but as part of an organized tour with a local guide.
