Fauna of Estonia
Encyclopedia
Estonia
is a small, heavily forested country situated on the Baltic Sea
. It is a part
of Palearctic ecozone (being a transitional area between the Western Palearctic and European-Siberian regions) and Temperate Northern Atlantic marine ecoregion.
Phytogeographically
, Estonia is shared between the Central European and Eastern European provinces of the Circumboreal Region
within the Boreal Kingdom
. According to the WWF
, the territory of Estonia belongs to the ecoregion
of Sarmatic mixed forests
.
Estonia's sparse population and large areas of forest have allowed stocks of European Lynx, Wild Boar, Brown Bear
s, and moose
to survive, among other animals. Estonia is thought to have a wolf population of around 200, which is considered slightly above the optimum range (100-200). Estonian birdlife is characterized by rare seabirds like the Steller's Eider
(Polysticta stelleri), Lesser White-fronted Goose
(Anser erythropus) and Black-tailed Godwit
(Limosa limosa), wetland birds like the Great Snipe
(Gallinago media), dry open country birds like the Corn Crake
(Crex crex) and European Roller
(Coracias garrulus) and large birds of prey like the Greater Spotted Eagle
(Aquila clanga). Estonia has five national parks, including Lahemaa National Park
on the northern coast as the largest. Soomaa National Park
, between Pärnu
and Viljandi
, is known for its wetlands. Reserves such as Käina Bay Bird Reserve and Matsalu National Park
(a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention
) are also popular with locals and tourists and support a wide variety of birdlife..jpg)
, Wolves and moose
to survive, among other animals. The largest bear populations can be found in North East Estonia in the counties of Ida and Lääne Viru. The numbers of Bears, Lynx and Wolves suffered during the Soviet Occupation as the animals were persecuted heavily. After they were given protection the numbers of the larger carnivores peaked in the early 1990s but they have since fallen slightly from those highs due to increased hunting pressure. In 2008, Estonia was home to approximately 620 brown bears, 760 lynx, and 135 wolves.http://eelis.ic.envir.ee:88/seireveeb/envirind_avalik/index.php?l=ee&t1=B As of early 2010, large ungulates included 48,040 roe deer
(down from 63,000 in 2009), 11,741 European elk
, 2,831 red deer
, and 22,642 wild boars
.http://www.postimees.ee/?id=248153
Its birdlife includes Golden Eagles and White Stork
s. It has around a dozen national parks and protected areas, including Lahemaa National Park
, the country’s largest park, on the northern coast. Soomaa National Park
, near Pärnu
, is known for its ancient wetlands. Reserves such as Käina Bay Bird Reserve and Matsalu Nature Reserve (a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention
) are also popular with locals and tourists and support a wide variety of birdlife.
! Group !! Known species !! Estimated number of species
|-
| Amoeboid
s > 68
| Flagellate
s 89
| Apicomplexa
13
| Ciliophora 176
| Sponges 3
| Hydrozoa
5
| Scyphozoa
3
| Turbellaria
55
| Monogenea
73
| Digenea
110
| Ribbon worms 106
| Gastrotricha 6
| Rotatoria 230
| Nematoda 200
| Nematomorpha
1
| Kinorhyncha
1
| Acanthocephala
14
| Nemertea
4
| Priapulida
1
| Polychaeta 6
| Oligochaeta
103
| Bryozoa
7
| Gastropods 74
| Bivalves 62
| Crustacea 326
| Arachnid
s 786
| Myriapods 38
| Tardigrade
s 1
| Insects ~10000
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
is a small, heavily forested country situated on the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. It is a part
of Palearctic ecozone (being a transitional area between the Western Palearctic and European-Siberian regions) and Temperate Northern Atlantic marine ecoregion.
Phytogeographically
Phytogeography
Phytogeography , also called geobotany, is the branch of biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution of plant species...
, Estonia is shared between the Central European and Eastern European provinces of the Circumboreal Region
Circumboreal Region
The Circumboreal Region is a floristic region within the Holarctic Kingdom in Eurasia and North America, as delineated by such geobotanists as Josias Braun-Blanquet and Armen Takhtajan....
within the Boreal Kingdom
Boreal Kingdom
The Boreal Kingdom or Holarctic Kingdom is a floristic kingdom identified by botanist Ronald Good , which includes the temperate to Arctic portions of North America and Eurasia. Its flora is inherited from the ancient supercontinent of Laurasia...
. According to the WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
, the territory of Estonia belongs to the ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
of Sarmatic mixed forests
Sarmatic mixed forests
thumb|237px|[[Pinophyta|Coniferous trees]] are dominating this sarmatic mixed [[forest]] in southernmost [[Finland]]The Sarmatic mixed forests constitute an ecoregion within the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Biome, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature classification...
.
Estonia's sparse population and large areas of forest have allowed stocks of European Lynx, Wild Boar, Brown Bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
s, and moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
to survive, among other animals. Estonia is thought to have a wolf population of around 200, which is considered slightly above the optimum range (100-200). Estonian birdlife is characterized by rare seabirds like the Steller's Eider
Steller's Eider
The Steller's Eider is a medium-large sea duck that breeds along the Arctic coasts of eastern Siberia and Alaska. The lined nest is built on tundra close to the sea, and 6-10 eggs are laid....
(Polysticta stelleri), Lesser White-fronted Goose
Lesser White-fronted Goose
The Lesser White-fronted Goose is a goose closely related to the larger White-fronted Goose .It breeds in northernmost Asia, but it is a scarce breeder in Europe. There is a re-introduction scheme in Fennoscandia....
(Anser erythropus) and Black-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit
The Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa, is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the Limosa genus, the godwits...
(Limosa limosa), wetland birds like the Great Snipe
Great Snipe
The Great Snipe, Gallinago media is a small stocky wader in the genus Gallinago.This bird's breeding habitat is marshes and wet meadows with short vegetation in north-eastern Europe including north-western Russia. Great Snipes are migratory, wintering in Africa...
(Gallinago media), dry open country birds like the Corn Crake
Corn Crake
The Corn Crake, Corncrake or Landrail is a bird in the rail family. It breeds in Europe and Asia as far east as western China, and migrates to Africa for the winter...
(Crex crex) and European Roller
European Roller
The European Roller, Coracias garrulus, is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed in Europe. Its overall range extends into the Middle East and Central Asia and Morocco....
(Coracias garrulus) and large birds of prey like the Greater Spotted Eagle
Greater Spotted Eagle
The Greater Spotted Eagle , occasionally just called the spotted eagle, is a large bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
(Aquila clanga). Estonia has five national parks, including Lahemaa National Park
Lahemaa National Park
Lahemaa National Park is located on Northern Estonia, 70 kilometers east from capital Tallinn. Its area covers 725 km² . It was the first national park of the former Soviet Union...
on the northern coast as the largest. Soomaa National Park
Soomaa National Park
Soomaa National Park is national park in south-western Estonia. Soomaa protects 390 km², and is a Ramsar site of protected wetlands...
, between Pärnu
Pärnu
Pärnu is a city in southwestern Estonia on the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is a popular summer vacation resort with many hotels, restaurants, and large beaches. The Pärnu River flows through the city and drains into the Gulf of Riga...
and Viljandi
Viljandi
Viljandi is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 19,150 . It is the capital of Viljandi County. The town was first mentioned in 1283, upon being granted its town charter by Wilhelm von Endorpe....
, is known for its wetlands. Reserves such as Käina Bay Bird Reserve and Matsalu National Park
Matsalu National Park
Matsalu National Park is a nature reserve and national park situated in Lääne County, Estonia...
(a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
) are also popular with locals and tourists and support a wide variety of birdlife.
Vertebrates
Estonia's spare population and large areas of forest have allowed stocks of European Lynx, Wild Boar, Brown BearsBrown Bears
The Brown Bears is a name shared by all sports teams at Brown University, a university located in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States. The Bears are part of the Ivy League conference. Brown's mascot is Bruno. Both the men's and women's teams share the name, competing in 37 National...
, Wolves and moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
to survive, among other animals. The largest bear populations can be found in North East Estonia in the counties of Ida and Lääne Viru. The numbers of Bears, Lynx and Wolves suffered during the Soviet Occupation as the animals were persecuted heavily. After they were given protection the numbers of the larger carnivores peaked in the early 1990s but they have since fallen slightly from those highs due to increased hunting pressure. In 2008, Estonia was home to approximately 620 brown bears, 760 lynx, and 135 wolves.http://eelis.ic.envir.ee:88/seireveeb/envirind_avalik/index.php?l=ee&t1=B As of early 2010, large ungulates included 48,040 roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
(down from 63,000 in 2009), 11,741 European elk
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, 2,831 red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, and 22,642 wild boars
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
.http://www.postimees.ee/?id=248153
Its birdlife includes Golden Eagles and White Stork
White Stork
The White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
s. It has around a dozen national parks and protected areas, including Lahemaa National Park
Lahemaa National Park
Lahemaa National Park is located on Northern Estonia, 70 kilometers east from capital Tallinn. Its area covers 725 km² . It was the first national park of the former Soviet Union...
, the country’s largest park, on the northern coast. Soomaa National Park
Soomaa National Park
Soomaa National Park is national park in south-western Estonia. Soomaa protects 390 km², and is a Ramsar site of protected wetlands...
, near Pärnu
Pärnu
Pärnu is a city in southwestern Estonia on the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is a popular summer vacation resort with many hotels, restaurants, and large beaches. The Pärnu River flows through the city and drains into the Gulf of Riga...
, is known for its ancient wetlands. Reserves such as Käina Bay Bird Reserve and Matsalu Nature Reserve (a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
) are also popular with locals and tourists and support a wide variety of birdlife.
Invertebrates
The following table gives an overview of species numbers of selected invertebrate groups.|-
| Amoeboid
Amoeboid
Amoeboids are single-celled life-forms characterized by an irregular shape."Amoeboid" and "amœba" are often used interchangeably even by biologists, and especially refer to a creature moving by using pseudopodia. Most references to "amoebas" or "amoebae" are to amoeboids in general rather than to...
s >
| Flagellate
Flagellate
Flagellates are organisms with one or more whip-like organelles called flagella. Some cells in animals may be flagellate, for instance the spermatozoa of most phyla. Flowering plants do not produce flagellate cells, but ferns, mosses, green algae, some gymnosperms and other closely related plants...
s
| Apicomplexa
Apicomplexa
The Apicomplexa are a large group of protists, most of which possess a unique organelle called apicoplast and an apical complex structure involved in penetrating a host's cell. They are unicellular, spore-forming, and exclusively parasites of animals. Motile structures such as flagella or...
| Ciliophora
| Sponges
| Hydrozoa
Hydrozoa
Hydrozoa are a taxonomic class of very small, predatory animals which can be solitary or colonial and which mostly live in saltwater. A few genera within this class live in freshwater...
| Scyphozoa
Scyphozoa
Scyphozoa is a class within the phylum Cnidaria, sometimes referred to as the "true jellyfish".The class name Scyphozoa comes from the Greek word skyphos , denoting a kind of drinking cup and alluding to the cup shape of the organism....
| Turbellaria
Turbellaria
The Turbellaria are one of the traditional sub-divisions of the phylum Platyhelminthes , and include all the sub-groups that are not exclusively parasitic. There are about 4,500 species, which range from to in length...
| Monogenea
Monogenea
Monogenea are a group of largely ectoparasitic members of the flatworm phylum Platyhelminthes, class Monogenea.-Characteristics:Monogenea are very small parasitic flatworms mainly found on skin or gills of fish....
| Digenea
Digenea
Digenea is a subclass within the Platyhelminthes consisting of parasitic flatworms with a syncytial tegument and, usually, two suckers, one ventral and one oral. Adults are particularly common in the digestive tract, but occur throughout the organ systems of all classes of vertebrates...
| Ribbon worms
| Gastrotricha
| Rotatoria
| Nematoda
| Nematomorpha
Nematomorpha
Nematomorpha is a phylum of parasitic animals that are superficially morphologically similar to nematode worms, hence the name. They range in size in most species from long and can reach in extreme cases up to 2 metres, and in diameter...
| Kinorhyncha
Kinorhyncha
Kinorhyncha is a phylum of small marine pseudocoelomate invertebrates that are widespread in mud or sand at all depths as part of the meiobenthos...
| Acanthocephala
Acanthocephala
Acanthocephala is a phylum of parasitic worms known as acanthocephales, thorny-headed worms, or spiny-headed worms, characterized by the presence of an evertable proboscis, armed with spines, which it uses to pierce and hold the gut wall of its host...
| Nemertea
Nemertea
Nemertea is a phylum of invertebrate animals also known as "ribbon worms" or "proboscis worms". Alternative names for the phylum have included Nemertini, Nemertinea and Rhynchocoela. Although most are less than long, one specimen has been estimated at , which would make it the longest animal ever...
| Priapulida
Priapulida
Priapulida is a phylum of marine worms. They are named for their extensible spiny proboscis, which, in some species, may have a shape like that of a human penis...
| Polychaeta
| Oligochaeta
Oligochaeta
Oligochaeta is a subclass of animals in the biological phylum Annelida, which is made up of many types of aquatic and terrestrial worms, and this includes all of the various earthworms...
| Bryozoa
Bryozoa
The Bryozoa, also known as Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals, are a phylum of aquatic invertebrate animals. Typically about long, they are filter feeders that sieve food particles out of the water using a retractable lophophore, a "crown" of tentacles lined with cilia...
| Gastropods
| Bivalves
| Crustacea
| Arachnid
Arachnid
Arachnids are a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. All arachnids have eight legs, although in some species the front pair may convert to a sensory function. The term is derived from the Greek words , meaning "spider".Almost all extant arachnids are terrestrial...
s
| Myriapods
| Tardigrade
Tardigrade
Tardigrades form the phylum Tardigrada, part of the superphylum Ecdysozoa. They are microscopic, water-dwelling, segmented animals with eight legs. Tardigrades were first described by Johann August Ephraim Goeze in 1773...
s
| Insects
See also
- List of Estonian mammals
- List of birds of Estonia
- List of fish in Estonia
- List of Estonian butterflies
- List of Odonata species recorded in Estonia