The combination of orchard meadows and wild hedgerows not only provides shelter and food for countless animal species, but also preserves the historic character of the cultural landscape in the Apuseni Mountains

Scientific name:

prunus spinosa

Family:

Rosaceae

Other names:

Sloe

Flowering season:

March, April, and May

Harvest season (fruit):

November and December

Significance:

Bee pasture, insect pasture, bird feeding woodland, bird protection woodland, food source for mammals, medicinal plant

Scientific name:

berberis vulgaris

Family:

Berberidaceae

Other names:

European barberry, Barberry

Flowering season:

May and June

Harvest season (fruit):

August and September

Significance:

Insect pasture, bird feeding woodland, bird protection woodland, food source for mammals

Scientific name:

corylus avellana

Family:

Betulaceae

Other names:

hazelnut

Flowering season:

Februar und March

Harvest season (fruit):

September and October

Significance:

Bee pasture, insect pasture, bird feeding woodland, bird protection woodland, food source for mammals, medicinal plant

Scientific name:

anguis fragilis

Order:

Squamata

Family:

Anguidae

Genus:

Anguis

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).
• The population is considered stable.

Special features:

• Reptile/Amphibian of the Year 2017 in Germany.

Scientific name:

apus apus

Order:

Caprimulgiformes

Family:

Apodidae

Genus:

Apus

Endangerment:

• Listed as ‘potentially endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).

Special features:

• Bird of the Year 2026 in Estonia and Croatia.
• Bird of the Year 2023 in Norway.
• Bird of the Year 2022 in Latvia.
• Bird of the Year 2021 in Spain.
• Bird of the Year 2003 in Germany and Austria.

Scientific name:

rosa canina

Family:

Rosaceae

Other names:

no further names known

Flowering season:

May, June und July

Harvest season (fruit):

October und November

Significance:

Bee pasture, insect pasture, bird feeding woodland, bird protection woodland, food source for mammals, medicinal plant

Scientific name:

sambucus nigra

Family:

Caprifoliaceae

Other Names:

elder, elderberry, black elder, European elder, European elderberry, European black elderberry

Flowering season:

June and July

Harvest season (fruit):

September

Significance:

Bee pasture, insect pasture, bird feeding woodland, bird protection woodland, medicinal plant

Scientific name:

sitta europaea

Order:

Passeriformes

Family:

Sittidae

Genus:

Sitta

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2018, Europe).
• The population is considered to be stable.

Special features:

• Bird of the Year 2006 in Germany.
• Bird of the Year 2006 in Austria.

Scientific name:

sciurus vulgaris

Order:

Rodentia

Family:

Sciuridae

Genus:

Sciurus

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2023, Europe).
• As a species that follows human culture, particularly in urban areas, endangered by humans and traffic.

Special features:

• Garden Animal of the Year 2011 in Germany.

Scientific name:

meles meles

Order:

Carnivora

Family:

Mustelidae

Genus:

Meles

Endangerment:

• Listed as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).

Special features:

• Animal of the Year 2010 in Germany.
• Animal of the Year 2010 in Austria.

Scientific name:

glis glis

Order:

Rodentia

Family:

Gliridae

Genus:

Glis

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2023, Europe).

Special features:

• Animal of the Year 2021 in Austria.
• Animal of the Year 2004 in Germany.

Scientific name:

lepus europaeus

Order:

Lagomorpha

Family:

Leporidae

Genus:

Lepus

Endangerment:

• Listed as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).

Special features:

• Animal of the Year 2015 in Germany.
• Animal of the Year 2015 in Austria.
• Animal of the Year 2004 in Switzerland.
• Animal of the Year 2001 in Germany.

Scientific name:

lucanus cervus

Order:

Coleoptera

Family:

Lucanidae

Genus:

Lucanus

Endangerment:

• Listed as ‘potentially endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2023, Europe).
• Increasingly threatened by the destruction of its habitat.
• Classified as ‘critically endangered’ on Germany's Red List.

Special features:

• Insect of the Year 2017 in Romania and Moldova.
• Insect of the Year 2021 in Germany.

Scientific name

salamandra salamandra

Order:

Caudata

Family:

Salamandridae

Genus:

Salamandra

Endangerment:

• Listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List (2023, Europe).
• Increasingly threatened by the destruction of its habitat. In particular, by logging and water pollution.

Special features:

• Cave Animal of the Year 2023 in Germany.
• Reptile/Amphibian of the Year 2016 in Germany.

Scientific name:

crataegus laevigata and crataegus monogyna

Family:

Rosaceae

Other names:

Midland hawthorn, English hawthorn, woodland hawthorn, mayflower

Flowering season:

May and June

Harvest season (fruit):

September and October

Significance:

Bee pasture, insect pasture, bird feeding woodland, bird protection woodland, food source for mammals, medicinal plant

Scientific name:

libelloides macaronius

Order:

Neuroptera

Family:

Ascalaphidae

Genus:

Libelloides

Endangerment:

• Listed as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).

Special features:

• Insect of the Year 2022 in Romania.

Scientific name:

athene noctua

Order:

Strigiformes

Family:

Strigidae

Genus:

Athene

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).

Special features:

• Bird of the Year 2021 in Switzerland.
• Bird of the Year 2019 in Romania.
• Bird of the Year 1972 in Germany.

Scientific name:

vanellus vanellus

Order:

Charadriiformes

Family:

Charadriidae

Genus:

Vanellus

Endangerment:

• Listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).

Special features:

• Bird of the year 2026 in Austria.
• Bird of the year 2024 in Germany.
• Bird of the year 1996 in Germany.

Scientific name:

erinaceus roumanicus

Order:

Eulipotyphla

Family:

Erinaceidae

Genus:

Erinaceus

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2023, Europe).
• Sustained decline in parts of the population.
• As a synanthropic species, particularly endangered by humans and traffic in urban areas.

Special features:

• The German Wildlife Foundation's Animal of the Year 2024 is the brown-breasted hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus), which is widespread in Western Europe but whose population is declining and which is classified as ‘potentially endangered’ on the Red List.

Scientific name:

lanius collurio

Order:

Passeriformes

Family:

Laniidae

Genus:

Lanius

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘least concern’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).
• The population of the red-backed shrike (lanius collurio) is declining.

Special features:

• Bird of the Year 2025 in Croatia.
• Bird of the Year 2020 in Switzerland.
• Bird of the Year 1985 in Germany.

Scientific name:

lacerta agilis

Order:

Squamata

Family:

Lacertidae

Genus:

Lacerta

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2023, Europe).
• The population is considered to be in decline.

Special features:

• Reptile/Amphibian of the Year 2021 in Germany.

Scientific name:

amelanchier ovalis

Family:

Rosaceae

Other names:

no further names known

Flowering season:

April and May

Harvest season (fruit):

July

Significance:

Bee pasture, insect pasture, bird feeding woodland, food source for mammals

Scientific name:

ciconia ciconia

Order:

Ciconiiformes

Family:

Ciconiidae

Genus:

Ciconia

Endangerment:

• Classified as ‘not endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (2020, Europe).
• Increasingly threatened by the destruction of its habitat.

Special features:

• Bird of the Year 2025 in Romania.
• Bird of the Year 1994 in Germany.
• Bird of the Year 1984 in Germany.

Scientific name:

prunus avium subsp. avium

Family:

Rosaceae

Other names:

Bird cherry

Flowering season:

April and May

Harvest season (fruit):

June and July

Significance:

Bee pasture, insect pasture, bird feeding woodland, food source for mammals