Bear

European Brown Bear

A good-sized, powerfully built bear with a distinct shoulder hump, a large head supported by a short, muscular neck, and a concave facial profile. Overall color can vary with individual bears from light grayish-yellow to very dark brown. Juveniles may have a conspicuous pale collar. The coat is long or not, depending on region and season.

Mainly found today in Russia, Romania and the former Yugoslavia, but brown bears also occur in Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Albania, Bulgaria and Greece, and remnant populations are found in Spain, France and Italy. Outside Europe, the Eurasian brown bear is also found in northwestern Asia.

Wolf

European Grey Wolf

The gray wolf is the largest wild member of the dog family and is the ancestor of the domestic dog. It resembles a large German shepherd dog, with its heavy frame, long legs, large feet and thick, bushy tail. The skull is especially large, with powerful jaws and large, well-developed, meat-eating teeth. Like most canids, it has 42 teeth (i3/3, c1/1, pm4/4, m2/3). The fur is moderately long and thick. The overall color varies from grayish-brown to yellowish-brown, and there may be a reddish tinge on the head, ears, shoulders and legs. Northern specimens tend to be large, gray and long-haired; southern ones are smaller, brown and short-haired.

Now mainly in Russia, Romania and the former Yugoslavia, with lesser numbers in Finland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. A few survive in northern parts of Sweden and Norway.Outside Europe, the gray wolf is also found in Asia and North America.