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Fauna, that is the whole animal species living in this region, is one of the constituent elements of the eco-system. Thus, it is influenced by the interaction between various factors such as climate, ecological environment and man presence.
Calabria, subject to many glaciations and changes in the vegetation features, hosted different animal species in its evolution, whose location and classification has made possible thanks to the numerous fossil findings. The presence of hippopotamus, elephants, bisons, bears and deers has been certified in different areas. The bear and the deer – the presence of the letter dates back to the beginning of this century – were the last to become extinct, not because of natural causes but because of the hunt carried out by men.
Obviously, the extinction of animal species involves always the eco-system impoverishment; just against this tendency the management of the protected areas operates. For example, the presence of the wolf (picture) in Sila and Aspromonte, which is the most famous carnivorous predator closing the food chain, justifies the National Park foundation.
However, many species are worth to be mentioned and are going to be showed in their partitioning into classes: mammals and birds. The National Park territory, characterized by a division into three areas, hosts the typical fauna of the Apennines areas. The botanic and orographic differences between Sila and Aspromonte, as well as the geographical location of the three areas, makes the whole fauna species living in the Park mutually enriching
Mammals
Birds
Ichthyc fauna, amphybians and reptiles
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