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.
68 featured animals · representative selection, not a complete range map
Major habitats
Representative mammals
Steep rocky slopes of the European Alps; restored across the Alps by reintroduction from a single remnant population.
MountainVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
North American and Eurasian beavers.
FreshwaterWetlandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Forest and forest-edge mosaics in parts of Europe; restored by reintroduction after becoming extinct in the wild (e.g. Białowieża).
ForestGrasslandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Native to Europe, Asia, and Africa — not naturally to the Americas or Australia.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Northern forests of North America and northern Eurasia.
ForestWetlandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The European rabbit is native to the Iberian Peninsula and widely introduced elsewhere.
GrasslandUrban-adaptedVerified rangeIntroduced in placesSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, House Rabbit Society
Badger species occur across Eurasia and North America.
ForestGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Bats occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestUrban-adaptedCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The brown bear ranges across North America, Europe, and Asia; other bears occur in these regions too.
ForestMountainTundraBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Deer occur natively across many continents.
ForestGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Forests across parts of Europe and northern Asia; several European populations are reintroduced.
ForestMountainBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Woodland, grassland and farmland across parts of Europe and into parts of Asia.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Open grassland and farmland in parts of Europe.
GrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Gardens, hedgerows, woodland and grassland in parts of western and northern Europe.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Rivers, lakes, wetlands and some coasts across parts of Europe and Asia.
FreshwaterWetlandCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The red fox is one of the most widespread wild carnivores; foxes also occur on other continents.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedTundraBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Lynx species occur across Europe, Asia, and North America.
ForestMountainTundraBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Otter species occur on most continents.
FreshwaterWetlandCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Woodland across parts of Europe and into parts of Asia.
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Old World and New World porcupines occur across several continents.
ForestGrasslandDesertBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Woodland, moorland and open hills in parts of Europe (and beyond).
ForestGrasslandMountainBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Woodland edges and farmland across parts of Europe.
ForestGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Seals occur on coasts and in cold seas worldwide, including around Antarctica.
CoastalPolarBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Woodland and farmland across much of Europe (and beyond); also lives around some towns.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Across much of the Northern Hemisphere.
ForestTundraGrasslandMountainBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Representative birds
The European robin is common across Europe.
ForestUrban-adaptedVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Farmland and open country in parts of Europe; one of the most widespread birds in the world.
GrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Crows are widespread and highly adaptable.
Urban-adaptedForestGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The mallard is widespread across the Northern Hemisphere.
FreshwaterWetlandBroad / widespreadEagle species occur on several continents.
MountainForestCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The peregrine falcon is among the most widely distributed birds.
GrasslandMountainUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Flamingo species occur in Africa, the Americas, and parts of Eurasia.
WetlandCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, National Audubon Society, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Mountains and open upland country across parts of Europe, Asia, North America and North Africa.
MountainGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The greylag goose breeds across Europe and Asia.
FreshwaterWetlandGrasslandBroad / widespreadOwls occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Pelicans occur on coasts and inland waters across continents.
CoastalWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The rock dove is found worldwide, especially around cities.
Urban-adaptedCoastalBroad / widespreadIntroduced in placesSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Encyclopaedia Britannica
The common raven ranges across the Northern Hemisphere.
MountainTundraForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The house sparrow has spread across much of the world alongside people.
Urban-adaptedGrasslandBroad / widespreadIntroduced in placesSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The white stork breeds across Europe, with migrations to Africa and Asia.
WetlandGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, National Audubon Society, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Swan species occur across the Northern Hemisphere; the black swan is native to Australia.
FreshwaterWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Old World and New World vultures occur across several continents.
SavannaMountainBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Mature coniferous and mixed forest in parts of Europe and northern Asia.
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Breeds in wetlands and farmland in parts of Europe; a long-distance migrant to sub-Saharan Africa (and parts of Asia).
WetlandGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Woodpeckers occur on most continents (absent from Australia and Antarctica).
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Representative reptiles & amphibians
Most chameleon species live in Africa and Madagascar, with some in southern Europe and Asia.
ForestSavannaBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Heath, moor, woodland edge and damp ground across parts of Europe and Asia; the only snake found within the Arctic Circle.
ForestGrasslandWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Shrubs, reeds and trees near water in parts of Europe.
WetlandForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Damp broadleaf woodland near streams in parts of central and southern Europe.
ForestFreshwaterBroad / widespreadSource: AmphibiaWeb, Animal Diversity Web, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Frogs occur on every continent except Antarctica.
WetlandFreshwaterForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Geckos are a large, widespread group across warm regions of the world.
ForestDesertUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Wetlands, ponds and damp grassland in parts of Europe.
WetlandFreshwaterGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Newts occur across the Northern Hemisphere.
FreshwaterWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Salamanders are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere.
FreshwaterForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Snakes occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandDesertWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
True toads are widespread across continents.
GrasslandForestUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Freshwater and terrestrial turtles occur widely across continents.
FreshwaterWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Featured fish & aquatic life
A representative selection of fish recorded for Europe, grouped by where they live rather than as a single scientific class. Coverage is representative, not complete; each card links to a profile with source-backed range notes.
Fresh and brackish waters across parts of Europe; thought to spawn in the Sargasso Sea.
FreshwaterWetlandCoastalVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Native to rivers draining to the North Atlantic in parts of Europe (and North America); also widely farmed.
FreshwaterCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Native to fresh and coastal waters of parts of Europe (and western Asia / North Africa); widely introduced on other continents.
FreshwaterCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Notable invertebrates
Ants occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadBees occur on every continent except Antarctica.
GrasslandForestUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Butterflies occur on every continent except Antarctica.
GrasslandForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dragonflies are found near fresh water across every continent except Antarctica.
WetlandFreshwaterBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Lady beetles are widespread across the world's land continents.
GrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Mantises occur in warmer regions across many continents.
GrasslandForestBroad / widespreadSpiders occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Woodland, parks and gardens with dead wood in parts of Europe.
ForestUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
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?
Are these animals all native to Europe?
Last updated: