Land fauna

Land animals of Europe

Europe's temperate forests, mountains, and wetlands hold wolves, foxes, deer, and many waterbirds — fauna that has long shared the landscape with dense human settlement.

45 featured animals · representative selection, not a complete range map

Major habitats

FreshwaterWetlandForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedCoastalMountainTundraSavannaDesertPolar

Representative mammals

Beaver
North American and Eurasian beavers.
FreshwaterWetland
Verified range
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Hedgehog
Native to Europe, Asia, and Africa — not naturally to the Americas or Australia.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adapted
Verified range
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Moose
Northern forests of North America and northern Eurasia.
ForestWetland
Verified range
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Rabbit
The European rabbit is native to the Iberian Peninsula and widely introduced elsewhere.
GrasslandUrban-adapted
Verified rangeIntroduced in places
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, House Rabbit Society
Badger
Badger species occur across Eurasia and North America.
ForestGrassland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Bat
Bats occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestUrban-adaptedCoastal
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Bear
The brown bear ranges across North America, Europe, and Asia; other bears occur in these regions too.
ForestMountainTundra
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Deer
Deer occur natively across many continents.
ForestGrassland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Fox
The red fox is one of the most widespread wild carnivores; foxes also occur on other continents.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedTundra
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Lynx
Lynx species occur across Europe, Asia, and North America.
ForestMountainTundra
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Otter
Otter species occur on most continents.
FreshwaterWetlandCoastal
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Porcupine
Old World and New World porcupines occur across several continents.
ForestGrasslandDesert
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Seal
Seals occur on coasts and in cold seas worldwide, including around Antarctica.
CoastalPolar
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Wolf
Across much of the Northern Hemisphere.
ForestTundraGrasslandMountain
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Representative birds

Robin
The European robin is common across Europe.
ForestUrban-adapted
Verified range
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Crow
Crows are widespread and highly adaptable.
Urban-adaptedForestGrassland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Duck
The mallard is widespread across the Northern Hemisphere.
FreshwaterWetland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Eagle
Eagle species occur on several continents.
MountainForestCoastal
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Falcon
The peregrine falcon is among the most widely distributed birds.
GrasslandMountainUrban-adapted
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Flamingo
Flamingo species occur in Africa, the Americas, and parts of Eurasia.
WetlandCoastal
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, National Audubon Society, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Goose
The greylag goose breeds across Europe and Asia.
FreshwaterWetlandGrassland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Owl
Owls occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adapted
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Pelican
Pelicans occur on coasts and inland waters across continents.
CoastalWetland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Pigeon
The rock dove is found worldwide, especially around cities.
Urban-adaptedCoastal
Broad / widespreadIntroduced in places
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Raven
The common raven ranges across the Northern Hemisphere.
MountainTundraForest
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Sparrow
The house sparrow has spread across much of the world alongside people.
Urban-adaptedGrassland
Broad / widespreadIntroduced in places
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Stork
The white stork breeds across Europe, with migrations to Africa and Asia.
WetlandGrassland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, National Audubon Society, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Swan
Swan species occur across the Northern Hemisphere; the black swan is native to Australia.
FreshwaterWetland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Vulture
Old World and New World vultures occur across several continents.
SavannaMountain
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers occur on most continents (absent from Australia and Antarctica).
Forest
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Encyclopaedia Britannica

Representative reptiles & amphibians

Chameleon
Most chameleon species live in Africa and Madagascar, with some in southern Europe and Asia.
ForestSavanna
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Frog
Frogs occur on every continent except Antarctica.
WetlandFreshwaterForest
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Gecko
Geckos are a large, widespread group across warm regions of the world.
ForestDesertUrban-adapted
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Newt
Newts occur across the Northern Hemisphere.
FreshwaterWetland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Salamander
Salamanders are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere.
FreshwaterForest
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Snake
Snakes occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandDesertWetland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Toad
True toads are widespread across continents.
GrasslandForestUrban-adapted
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Turtle
Freshwater and terrestrial turtles occur widely across continents.
FreshwaterWetland
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Notable invertebrates

Ant
Ants occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adapted
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Bee
Bees occur on every continent except Antarctica.
GrasslandForestUrban-adapted
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Butterfly
Butterflies occur on every continent except Antarctica.
GrasslandForest
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dragonfly
Dragonflies are found near fresh water across every continent except Antarctica.
WetlandFreshwater
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Ladybug
Lady beetles are widespread across the world's land continents.
GrasslandUrban-adapted
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Praying Mantis
Mantises occur in warmer regions across many continents.
GrasslandForest
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Spider
Spiders occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adapted
Broad / widespread
Source: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica

Source & range methodology

Distribution notes are cautious educational summaries drawn from the authoritative source linked on each animal — not complete range maps.
A confidence label is shown on every record; introduced and domestic contexts are flagged, and we avoid unsupported “native to” claims.
Captive or zoo presence is never treated as wild range, and continent membership is not a political claim about borders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this every animal in Europe?

No. This is a curated, source-backed selection of representative animals that have a FaunaHub profile — not a complete inventory or range map.

Are these animals all native to Europe?

Most are shown where their native or regular range is source-backed, but widespread groups are marked “broad / widespread,” and introduced or domestic contexts are flagged. We avoid unsupported “native to” claims.

Last updated: 2026-06-16