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Biodiversity Report “National Park Vikos-Aoos” Markos Sarris Supervisor: Maria Lazaridou- Dimitriadou Introduction The Vikos –Aoos National Park (N. P.) is situated in the North-Western part of Hellas From Kasioumis & Gkatzogiannis Introduction Photo: Experiment, 1998 Introduction The National Park of Vikos –Aoos is important because of: •The great variety of plant and animal species •The caves and the craggy cliffs of Tymfi shelter to many kinds of birds and mammals species •The alpine lakes Drakolimni and Laka tou Tsoumani •The great cultural inheritance Flora The N.P. is a unique floristic biotope because: •Refuge for several numbers of plants with North and South origin •Greek and Balcanic endemic taxa protected as rare and threatened Abies borisii-regis (North) Quercus coccifera (South) Astragalus creticus (Balcanic) Callium sacrorum (Greek) •Taxa with a wider distribution Saxifraga oppositifolia •Taxa with a “strange” distribution Lilium candidum (Balcans and SW Asia) Vegetation The characteristic zones of forest vegetation in the N.P. From: Hanlidou & Kokkini 1997 Fauna The importance of the N.P. fauna is evident throughout all Classes of Vertebrates: FISHES AMPHIBIANS Orthrias pindus Triturus alpestris Photo: Experiment, 1998 REPTILES Vipera ursinii graeca Fauna BIRDS • Great variability of birds of pray (15 species) •Symbiosis in adjacent areas of different kinds of birds •Plenary biocommunities of alpine birds •Visit site of birds with narrow distribution Fauna MAMMALS Special interest because of the declining populations of the N.P. mammals Ursus arctus: One of the most endangered mammals in Europe Canis lupus: Photo: Arktouros Decrease of the populations of its prey Fauna MAMMALS Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica The illegal hunting threatens the “mammal-symbol” for the region Photo: Arktouros Cultural Inheritance Great traditional Greek architecture and religious monuments Photo: Arktouros Human Activities – Problems Caused •Ecotourist activities •Hunting Lack of respect for the environment Downgrading Reduce of some species population •Forest exploitation •Cattle breeding Development of the area reduce •Lack of water monitoring Destruction of the forest Plants’ Biodevirsity Food supplies of the Herbivors Conclusions - Suggestions Extension of the core - zone More constant guard of the N.P. Continuous research in the area Monitoring of the waters Include Aoos ravine avoid avoid Illegal hunting and woodcutting Disappearance of vulnerable populations