Fauna and Flora

Flora: Rich geological bedrock, broken relief and high range of altitudes determined the development of  the typical zonal and azonal plant communities which further determined the development of characteristic fytocenoses. The prevailing vegetation formations are forest communities with  mostly well preserved natural structures, with 27 % of them being natural communities only slightly affected by direct human activities. Until now, more than 1100 species of  vascular plants were found in the area of the National Park and its buffer zone; 22 species of them are endemits, 14 Carpathian endemits, 15 Carpathian subendemits, and 4 proper endemits of Malá Fatra Mts. – Alchemilla Sojakii, Alchemilla virginea, Euphrasia stitipata, and Sorbus margittaiana. 169 plant species listed in the Red Data Book of endangered plant species were found here, and 67 of them are critically endangered and very vulnerable. On limestone rocks, you can admire protected species such as Pulsatilla slavica, Dianthus praecox, alpine aster, and Clusius gentian. Net-levaed willow, white dryas, Aconitum firmum ssp. moravicum, alpine blue-sow-thistle, Delphinium oxysepalum and others are characteristic species growing above the upper timber-line. On transition mires, fens, wet and underflooded meadows, there grow endangered plant communities with species such as round-leaved sundew, English sundew, common spotted-orchid, western marsh orchid, European common twayblade, Gladiolus imbricatus, marsh lousewort, cottongrass, etc. The visitors can also admire the beauty and colorfulness of flower meadows in the sub-mountain level.

Fauna: The diversity of biotopes also determined the richness of animal communities. From invertebrates we can mention especially the easily identifiable species such as mountain Apollo, large tiger moth and rosalia longicorn which is bound to old beech forests. In Šútovská valley it is possible to observe also typical members of alpine fauna, thus large carnivores such as brown bear, Eurasian lynx, wolf as well as the rarely occurring wild cat. From reptiles we can mention European viper, smooth snake, grass snake and from birds water pipit. More attentive visitors can spot a golden eagle, goshawk, honey buzzard, peregrine falcon, or Eurasian hobby. From glacial relics (species which survived from ice ages) Tengmalm´s owl, three-toed woodpecker, northern birch mouse and alpine shrew live here. The original Carpathian forests are home to capercaillie, hazel grouse, white-backed woodpecker, grey-headed woodpecker, black woodpecker, collared flycatcher, red-breasted flycatcher and spotted flycatcher. Ural owl as well as our the smallest owl, Eurasian pygmy owl, nest here. Above the upper timber-line one can observe rare species such as rock thrush or black grouse. Black storks fly to the Šútovská valley for food from its adjacent breeding places.

Please, take your experiences from

the national park’s hiking trails only

in your memories, and photo or video cameras!

Spolupracovali:

Tomáš Hulík, Miloš Majda, Miloš Majda ml., Andrej Zahradník, Daniel Podbrežný,

Zuzana Pánisová, Peter Cáder, Anna Dobošová

Photo: Tomáš Hulík, Anna Dobošová, Anna Lovritšová, Miloš Majda, Norbert Sommer