Fauna

There are in the Park some rare and extraordinary animal species which alone would justify the existence of a nature reserve. After years of hunting and persecution, this wildlife is now protected in its entirety thanks to the work of conservation and education promoted by the Park Authority in recent years.

It is not always easy to see the animals since they are habitually cautious and on guard, a wariness that may well derive from their negative experience with man. However, during some periods of the year and in tranquil circumstances where the natural environment is undisturbed, it is possible to catch glimpses of some of the more spectacular animals in the Park, like the Abruzzo chamois, the Marsican brown bear, the red deer and the golden eagle.

Today the Park provides refuge for a great variety of animals that once lived in the Apennine mountains: 60 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 40 reptile, amphibian and fish species, and countless insect species, some of which are endemic.

 The most famous animal in the Park, as well as its symbol, is the Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus). About a hundred live in the protected area. Seeing this rare animal is a thrilling experience, though certainly not common. It is much more usual instead to find traces of the brown bear's presence, such as the characteristic and easily recognizable tracks it leaves in the earth or snow, or the large overturned rocks which the bear moves in order to eat the small animals and insects living under them. No other brown bear, however, appears to be quite as tolerant and good-natured towards human beings as the Marsican.

 Second in importance among the Park's animals is the Abruzzo chamois (Rupicapra ornata). The exceptionally developed horns, the beautiful colors of its winter coat and other less evident characteristics distinguish this species from all others, such that it has been called the 'world's most beautiful chamois'. In summer the coat of this ungulate becomes tawny all over, while in winter the coat is characterized by a splendid pattern of contrasting colors and a black band encircling the white neck. With about 500-600 now living in the Park, the Abruzzo chamois is again colonizing places where it previously lived undisturbed. If you get the chance to observe a chamois, do so in absolute silence so as not to disturb it or frighten it away.
The Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) is another of the most important animals in the Park, where it is very carefully protected. It is thought to be an Apennine variety of the species that was once widespread in Europe. According to the most recent census there are presently 400-500 wolves in the Apennines, 40-50 of which live within the boundaries of the Park. An interesting fact is that the wolf generally moves by placing all four paws in a single line, a characteristic certain to fascinate anyone who discovers the animal's tracks.
Among the other noteworthy mammals is the red deer (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus), a herbivore previously absent in the Park that has been successfully introduced. The buck is very easily identified by its branched antlers which are renewed every year. The roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), which seemed to have almost completely disappeared, has also been reintroduced.
These two herbivores are considered essential in reestablishing relations between predators and prey, and thus in recreating ecological balances that are self-renewing. Today there 500-600 red deer and 300-400 roe deer in the Park and neighbouring areas.
The wild cat (Felis silvestris) is very difficult to spot and is predominantly nocturnal, as is the pine marten (Martes martes), the stone marten (Maries foina), the polecat (Mustela putorius) and the badger (Meles meles).
More frequently seen are the weasel (Mustela nivalis) and the fox (Vulpes vulpes toschii), the latter thought to belong to a special Apennine race. Along with the dormouse (Muscardinus avel/anarius), the snow vole (Microtus nivalis) and other rodents, another common sight is the squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris meridionalis), with its characteristic dark brown coat and white patch on its chest.
The otter (Lutra lutra), once fairly common along rivers and streams, is now a rare sight, though the Park is launching a campaign for its re-introduction.
The lynx (Lynx lynx), a mysterious animal which local folk once nicknamed the 'leopard', still lives in the Park, though rarely strays from the wildest and most inaccessible areas.
On the grounds of evidence from historical records and biological findings we can assume that fallow deer (Dama clama) once lived in the mountains of Abruzzo. It is believed that the species was not indigenous but was introduced from various surrounding areas, where from as early as Roman times repopulations were made for ornamental purposes and hunting.

There are numerous bird species, about 300 in all, of which the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) takes the place of honor. It lives in inaccessible areas above the forests, where it can dominate the territory. At present there are 2 or 3 pairs in the Park. They are easy to identify as they fly over mountain crests, valleys and peaks in search of prey. Other birds of prey that live in the park are the buzzard (Buteo buteo), the goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), the sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), the black kite (Mllvus migrans), the kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). At night you can hear the calls of nocturnal birds of prey, like the little owl (Athene noctua), the tawny owl (Strix aluco), the barn owl (Tyto alba) and the rare eagle owl (Bubo bubo).

Although it would be very difficult to list every spe¬cies of non-migratory and migratory bird in the Park, a handful are worth mentioning: in the woods it is not uncommon to see the jay (Garrulus glandarius), often flyng in small noisy groups; the great tit (Parus major), a plump little bird, the woodpigeon (Columba palumbus), which makes a strange sound with its wings when flying through the trees; the green woodpecker (Picus viridis), easily identified by its characteristic hammering when looking for insects in tree trunks; the hoopoe (Upupa epops), which in spring returns to the Park from warmer climes where it has spent the winter; the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), which sometimes pecks for insects under the bark of trees upside down; and the well-known blackbird (Turdus merula),which prefers the lower valleys.

Near rivers and streams we find the dipper (One/us dnclus), the grey wagtail (Motadlla dnerea), the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and numerous other birds both migratory and non. Together with them, especially in winter near lake reservoirs and marshy plains, are many other species typical of wetland environments, like the gray heron (Ardea dnerea), an elegant wading bird.

In the high mountains various birds can be seen flying acrobatically in groups: the chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), the alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus), the snow finch (Montifringilla nivalis), the wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) and the black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros). A northern species of particular interest is the rock partridge (Alectoris graeca), found at high altitudes.

Undoubtedly the most interesting bird of woodland habitats is the extremely rare Lilford's woodpecker (Dendrocopos lilfordi), also known as the white-backed woodpecker, which lives in restricted areas of the south-central Apennines. Reptiles, too, have their place in the Park's eco-system. One of the most common is the dark green snake (Coluber viridiflavus), which lives in meadows and ditches. Of the snakes, besides the common aspic viper (Wpera aspis), there is the rarer field adder (Vipera ursinii) which feeds mainly on insects. We also find the wall lizard, the ruin lizard (Lacerta muralis and Lacerta sicula) and the larger green lizard (Lacerta viridis). There is also the smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) and in cooler areas the blind-worm (Anguis fragilis) and grass snake (Natrix Natrix lanzai). In the Park's purer and more limpid waters we find freshwater trout (Salmo trutta fario), identifiable by their red and black spots. The larger lake trout (Salmo trutta lacustris) is found in the Park's reservoirs. In rivers and lakes there is also the imported rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

Among the insects too there are some endemic species, such as the chrysomelid beetles Chrysochloa marsicana and Chrysochloa siparii, the long-horned beetle Rosalia alpina, with its vivid light-blue color and velvety black markings, which lives on the trunks of old beech trees, and the rare ground beetle (Carabus cavernosus variola-tus). An invertebrate inhabiting the larger rivers of the Park is the freshwater shrimp (Austropotamobius pallipes italicus), while the lake shrimp (Cammarus lacustris), of North European origin, is found in Lago Vivo and Lago Pantaniello.