On safari in Tanzania, penguin spotting in New Zealand or bear spotting in Canada by motor home: you don't have to travel that far to spot wildlife. Which wild animals can you admire on European soil? We’ve listed eleven impressive species for you.

Before we share this list with you, we would like to emphasise how important it is to treat these animals and their habitats with respect. If you go spotting animals in the wild, don't litter, keep your distance and don't disturb them. And believe us, with some of these species you don't want them to notice you.

1. Flamingo (Phoenicopteridae)

Lives in: France, Portugal
Status: almost threatened

Both France and Portugal have nature reserves where flamingos live in the wild. On the Portuguese peninsula Comporta, for example, which is a nature reserve in its entirety, you can spot both flamingos and dolphins from the beach. The most popular attraction for flamingos is the Camargue in southern France: the only place on European soil where the flamingo breeds. From April to September, tens of thousands of bright pink couples gather there to breed.

2. Whale (Cetacea) and killer whale (Orcinus orca)

Lives off the coast of: Norway, Spain, Portugal, Ireland
Status: endangered

Whales and orcas can be found on the coasts of several European countries. In Norway, for example, the coast of Vesterålen is a place where whales are spotted every year. In Spain, it is Tarifa and Gibraltar which form one of Europe's most famous 'whale trails'. In addition to whales and orcas, there are many dolphins and sperm whales.

3. Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus)

Lives in: Gibraltar
Status: endangered

The famous rock of Gibraltar is the habitat of a colony of over two hundred Barbary macaques, which today are artificially maintained. Although they are so important to the region, Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) have not always lived on Gibraltar. It is assumed that the monkeys were imported from Morocco by the Moors, who occupied the south of Spain between 711 and 1492. On the other hand, there is still the possibility that the colony is descended from the apes that lived in Europe over five million years ago. There is a legend that says: as long as monkeys live on the rock, Gibraltar will remain in British hands. When the colony was in danger of extinction in '42, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill secretly allowed a group of Barbary apes to be taken to the rock.

4. Musk ox (Ovibos moschatus)

Lives in: Norway
Status: non-endangered

The musk ox is undoubtedly one of the most unusual wild animals to be found in Europe. It is no coincidence: the animal was reintroduced to Europe in 1950 after having been extinct here for 3,000 years. The musk ox is very similar to the mammoth with its 400 kg body weight and long hair. In the past, it was one of the most hunted species because of its thick coat, which is why it became extinct in many countries. Today the musk ox lives in Norway, in the Dovrefjell National Park.

5. Elm (Ulmus)

Lives in: Slovenia
Status: protected

This blind salamander species is the longest living amphibian and made the Slovenian caves world famous. The elm is often nicknamed the 'baby dragon' and lives exclusively in caves, often near underground lakes or rivers. Result of a life without light: a skin without pigment, which closely resembles human skin. In Slovenia itself, they call the elm "oveja Ribica", or "human fish". The existence of the elm was first described in Charles Darwin's On The Origin of the Species. He described how bodily functions in certain species disappeared over time because they were simply superfluous. The eyes of the elm, for example, are completely underdeveloped as a reaction to the continuous dark environment.

6. European bison (bison bonasus)

Lives in: Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia
Status: endangered

The European bison or 'wisent' is the largest and heaviest land mammal in Europe. With a body weight of up to 920 kg and a walking speed of 60 km per hour, the woolly animal cannot be left out of this list. Today there are some 3,500 wisents, and until 700 years ago they lived in the Belgian Ardennes. Today the existence of the European bison is threatened and WWF is committed to protect the species. More information can be found here.

7. Wolverine (Gulo gulo)

Living in: Norway, Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Russia
Status: non-endangered

The wolverine is one of the largest terrestrial mammals. It can weigh up to 30 kilograms and leads a solitary existence. In some countries the wolverine is still hunted for its beautiful fur. The population in Scandinavia is estimated to be 750 individuals. This may not seem much, but when you know that a male's habitat covers 600 to 1,000 km², it is not so bad.

8. Lynx (Lynx lynx)

Lives in: Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia
Status: endangered

The lynx is a spotted feline with recognisable 'tufted' ears and sideburns. It is one of the most common felines and hunts mainly in the morning and evening. They live primarily in mountainous areas, temperate forests, rocky areas and steppes. Unfortunately, there are only four species of lynx left in the world, two of which live in Europe (mainly in the Carpathian Mountains, which stretch across the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia). Today the survival of the lynx is threatened and WWF is working to protect the species. More information can be found here.

9. Wolf (Canis lupus)

Living in: Germany, Austria, France, Poland
Status: endangered

You cannot have missed it: the wolf is back. The mammal, threatened with extinction, is gradually expanding its population in Europe. The greatest threats to the wolf's survival in our current landscape are the number of roads and the poaching that is still legal in some countries. The wolf is not a threat to humans, but livestock farmers are concerned about the return of the predator. Today the survival of the wolf is threatened and WWF is committed to protect the species. You can find more information here.

10. European brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Lives in: Finland, Sweden, Bulgaria, France, Spain, Italy
Status: endangered

The European brown bear can only be found in the wildest areas of Europe and is an endangered species. The brown bear is still hunted around the world, mainly because of its gall bladder, which is used as an aphrodisiac in Asian medicine. In addition, the destruction of nature reserves and industry have a major impact on the brown bear's habitat. Today the survival of the brown bear is threatened and WWF is working to protect the species. You can find more information here.

11. Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)

Lives on the coast of: Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain
Status: endangered

Along with sea turtles, crocodiles and sharks, dolphins are among the oldest animals on earth. Although they live in oceans and rivers all over the world, many dolphin species are on the verge of extinction. There are some 36 dolphin species, some of which are so threatened that they could disappear within 10 years. The health of the dolphin population is synonymous with the health of our seas and oceans. Today, the survival of the dolphin is threatened and WWF is committed to protecting the species. You can find more information here.

So there are still many surprising and impressive species living in wild Europe, but almost all of them are on the brink of extinction. Find out how you can help them on the WWF website and elsewhere. Planning to go wildlife watching? Read our article about the impact of wildlife tourism here.