Wildlife

Out of 2 410 species counted today in the Park, (central, peripheral zone and biosphere reserve "Cévennes"), can be counted 89 species of mammals (that is two third of all the species in France), 208 of birds (including 135 nesting ones), 17 of reptiles, 18 of amphibians, 24 of fish, 1824 of insects (including 846 beetles), 53 arachnids, 12 of crustaceans, 106 of gastropods, 26 of nematodes, etc... say the experts of the Cevennes National Park.

Up till the XIXth Century, the density of the agricultural population made the great wild animal species go down ; however, kept away from intensive agriculture and chemical treatments, the Cevennes National Park zone became a natural sanctuary for small fauna, including insects. Since then, the decrease of cultivated zones and the progression of moors and forests have also recreated a favourable environment for the great fauna.

Globally, it is within Europe one of the regions which has known one of the strongest biological enrichment for the last 20 years, also due to various reintroductions lead by the National Park (vultures, beavers, stags, roes, mouflons, big grouse, white feet crayfish) and to the protection of biotopes which has ultimately enabled a natural recolonisation by certain prestigious species (golden eagle, otters, black woodpecker, Tengmalm owl, "percnoptere" vulture, laughing frog, etc...)

The exceptional variety of biotopes (forest environments, moors, steppes and grassed areas, dry or humid environments...) encourages the presence of a varied fauna, from the discrete but fabulous world of insects, to the spectacular world of vertebrates where can be found half of the existing species in France. The birds of prey and bats are particularly well represented.

The threatening extension for the forest equilibrium of remarkable cervidae populations (the most beautiful deers in France), as well as the damages caused by wild boars in some farms, make it necessary to take regulation measures by hunting devices.

All of the above information and many more can be found on the Cevennes National Park website, with their kind authorisation.