Animals in Poland
White tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla
The white tailed eagle is Poland’s national bird and a symbol of pride and freedom. It is often seen near lakes and rivers, where it hunts fish with precision. The eagle has deep roots in Polish culture and appears in folklore, art and the national coat of arms as a representation of strength and independence.
View details→Wildlife in Poland
Poland has one of the richest natural landscapes in Central Europe, with forests, rivers and mountains that shelter moose, lynxes, wolves and eagles. Large protected areas such as Bialowieza Forest help preserve these habitats, making the country a great destination for hiking and wildlife watching throughout the seasons.
Most Dangerous Animals in Poland
Poland’s wildlife includes large animals such as brown bears, moose, wild boars, European bison and wolves. Encounters are rare, but visitors are advised to stay alert and respect their space. In some forests adders may also appear, reminding travelers of the country’s wild and balanced ecosystems.
Top 10 Animals in Poland
Among Poland’s most iconic animals are the moose, red deer, brown bear, Eurasian lynx, gray wolf and peregrine falcon. They inhabit forests and mountain regions that are popular among travelers who enjoy nature. Many of these species are protected and monitored through national conservation programs.
Golden Jackal
Canis aureus
Poland plays an important role in the golden jackal's spread across Europe. Jackals have been recorded with growing frequency since 2015, and breeding was first confirmed in 2019. The species is most often found in the eastern and central lowlands, where farmland, wetlands and river valleys provide food and cover all year. From Poland, young animals continue to disperse further west and north. Researchers and hunters cooperate to record its growing presence. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Badger
Meles meles
The European badger, called borsuk in Polish, is widespread across Poland in mixed and deciduous woodland, farmland and forest edges. Clans dig setts in well drained soils and forage at night for earthworms, insects, berries and small animals. Polish badger numbers are stable, and road traffic is one of the main ongoing threats where forests are cut up by roads and fields. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
Poland's brown bears live in the Carpathian Mountains in the south, mainly in the Bieszczady and around Tatra National Park, and are connected with the larger populations of Slovakia and Ukraine. A 2023 estimate counted a few hundred bears. The species is strictly protected, and in the Tatras bears that learned to raid garbage near tourist areas have caused concern. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Chamois
Rupicapra rupicapra
In Poland, chamois live only in the Tatra Mountains, in Tatra National Park on the Slovak border. They are Tatra chamois, a subspecies the IUCN considers Endangered. Polish and Slovak rangers count them together twice a year, and the 2023 autumn count found 267 on the Polish side. Hikers must stay on trails, which helps during the rut. Brown bears and lynx share the range. IUCN status: Least Concern.
European Bison
Bison bonasus
Poland holds about 3,000 European bison, a quarter of the world total, and it is where the species came back to life. The first herd went back into the wild in the Białowieża Forest in 1952, and the forest is still the best place to see them, grazing in meadows near the Belarus border. The Bieszczady Mountains in the southeast hold the country's other big free-roaming population, in mountain beech forests. Bulls can reach 920 kg. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Hare
Lepus europaeus
Poland's huge farm plains, river valleys and meadows make it one of the European hare's strongholds in central Europe, from the lowlands to the Carpathian foothills. Numbers fell sharply after the 1970s with the spread of large scale farming, but the hare is still common across the country. Field margins, fallow strips and planted cover are used in some hunting districts to help hares through the year. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
The European hedgehog lives in western and central Poland, in gardens, parks, forest edges and the farmland mosaic of fields and hedgerows. Poland lies on the line where it meets its eastern relative, the northern white breasted hedgehog, which replaces it farther east. It is one of the most familiar wild mammals for Polish families, often seen in suburban gardens after dark. Road building and intensive farming put pressure on it. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Poland holds one of the most significant wolf populations in Central Europe, with wolves distributed across forested regions including the Białowieża Forest, the Carpathians and the western lowlands. Numbers have grown steadily since the species received legal protection in 1998. Polish wolves play an important ecological role and have also helped repopulate neighboring countries through natural dispersal. Conflict with livestock farming remains a challenge, but coexistence programs have made measurable progress.
Alpine Marmot
Marmota marmota
Poland's marmots live only in the Tatra Mountains, and they are native: they belong to the Tatra marmot, a subspecies found only in the Western Carpathians since the ice ages. The population in Tatra National Park is small and strictly protected, and marmots share the high meadows with chamois and brown bears. Their sharp alarm whistles warn of golden eagles and foxes. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Marten
Martes martes / Martes foina
Poland has both martens. The pine marten, kuna leśna, lives in forests across the country and is especially at home in large woods such as Białowieża Forest in the northeast, where it dens in old hollow trees. The stone marten, kuna domowa, prefers farmland, villages and towns, where it lives in barns and attics and often damages car cables. Both hunt rodents and birds and eat fruit. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eurasian Lynx
Lynx lynx
In Poland the Eurasian lynx lives mainly in the northeast, in the Białowieża, Augustów and Knyszyn forests, and in the Carpathian mountains of the south. It nearly disappeared in the twentieth century and has been strictly protected since 1995. Lynx have also been reintroduced in Kampinos National Park near Warsaw and in the forests of the northwest. Roe deer and red deer are its main prey, and it shares these woods with wolves and bison. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus
The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is widespread across Poland, living in lowland forests, upland woodlands, and the foothills of the Carpathians. The Białowieża Forest, one of the best preserved ancient forests in Europe, supports a notable population. Polish stags are among the largest in Europe, and the country has a long tradition of managing red deer through regulated hunting. The species is stable and widespread. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
The red fox is one of Poland's most familiar wild mammals, found in forests, farmland, wetlands and increasingly in cities like Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław. Its numbers rose sharply after Poland began dropping oral vaccine baits against rabies in the 1990s, which made the disease rare. Foxes are hunted as game, and in farmland they are important predators of voles, hares and ground nesting birds. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Red Squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
The red squirrel is widespread across Poland, where it lives in the country's rich variety of forest types, from the ancient Białowieża Forest in the east to the pine woodlands of the lowlands and the mountain forests of the Tatras. It is a common and familiar species throughout the country. Poland lies outside the main range of the introduced gray squirrel, so the red squirrel faces no significant competition from that species here. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Roe Deer
Capreolus capreolus
The roe deer is one of Poland's most widespread wild mammals, living in the country's broad mix of lowland forests, farmland, and river valleys. The Białowieża Forest holds notable populations alongside far larger ungulates. Roe deer are active at dawn and dusk, feeding on buds, shoots, and herbs. Their coat turns gray in winter and russet in summer. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
Wild boars are widespread across Poland, from the primeval forest of Białowieża to farmland and city edges, and they often visit the outskirts of Warsaw and the parks of Kraków. They are a major game animal and prey for wolves and lynx. African swine fever arrived in 2014 and spread through wild boars, leading to intense culling to protect the country's many pig farms. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Moose
Alces alces
In Poland, moose are concentrated in the northeast, above all in the Biebrza Marshes and Białowieża Forest. After the Second World War only a few dozen survived in Biebrza; protection and a hunting moratorium in place since 2001 brought the population back to tens of thousands, and moose now spread west and south. They move through river valleys and marshy lowlands, and are a symbol of Polish conservation. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Poland's first free living raccoon population formed in the Warta Mouth area in the west, with animals arriving from Germany, and raccoons have since been recorded across the country, most of all in the west. Numbers are growing fast: hunters shot about 14,000 in the 2024 to 2025 season. They prey on ground nesting birds and even on hibernating bats in the Nietoperek reserve. IUCN status: Least Concern.
European Wildcat
Felis silvestris
In Poland the European wildcat lives only in the south, in the Carpathians, with its main population in the Bieszczady Mountains and the Low Beskids. Old forests and steep wooded slopes give it the cover it needs. Poland lies at the northern edge of the species' range in this part of Europe, so these Carpathian cats are important for the region. It is strictly protected, and crossbreeding is a concern. IUCN status: Least Concern.
European Adder
Vipera berus
In Poland, the European adder is found across much of the country, especially in the forests and bogs of the northeast and the mountains of the south, such as the Tatras and the Bieszczady. It lives in heathlands, forest edges, peat bogs and river valleys. It is the only venomous snake in Poland and is protected by law. Drainage, intensive farming and road traffic have caused declines in some regions. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eagle Owl
Bubo bubo
In Poland, the eagle owl was pushed back to a few remote areas by hunting and persecution, but under legal protection it has been slowly spreading again. It nests in rocky areas, gravel pits, and old quarries, as well as in large forests and in the mountains of the south, such as the Bieszczady in the southeast. Poland sits within the owl's zone of recovery across central Europe. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Saker Falcon
Falco cherrug
Poland lies near the western edge of the saker falcon's European range. The bird occurs here as a rare visitor, most often during migration, favouring open farmland and river plains that recall the steppe habitats where it breeds further east. Conservation efforts across Central Europe have aimed at protecting this species from ongoing declines driven by electrocution on power lines and illegal trapping. The IUCN lists it as Endangered.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl is found across the lowlands and agricultural plains of Poland, particularly in the western and central regions, Silesia, and the Mazovian lowlands. It nests in old farm buildings, church towers, and hollow trees, and hunts mice and voles at night in open fields and meadows. Poland holds one of the larger barn owl populations in Central Europe, though numbers fluctuate significantly with harsh winters and vole population cycles. Nest box programs run by conservation organizations and individual farmers have been instrumental in supporting the species across the country.
White tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla
Poland has seen a remarkable recovery of the white tailed eagle over recent decades and now has one of the largest breeding populations in central Europe. It nests in old forests near lakes, rivers and wetlands, with strongholds in the Biebrza marshes, the Masurian Lakes and along the Oder and Vistula. The white eagle on Poland's coat of arms is often linked to this species. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Crane
Grus grus
Poland is one of the most important countries in Europe for the common crane, both as a breeding ground and a stopover during migration. Extensive bogs, river valleys and forest wetlands in the northeast, including areas around the Biebrza marshes, support large breeding populations. In autumn, tens of thousands of cranes gather at staging sites across the country before continuing south. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Stork
Ciconia ciconia
Poland is the world's most important country for the white stork: the 2004/05 census counted 52,500 pairs here, about a quarter of the global population. The bird is a much loved national symbol. Storks nest on rooftops, chimneys, and platforms across the meadows and farmland, and the Podlaskie region in the northeast is famous for its villages full of nests. IUCN status: Least Concern.
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Poland is a stronghold for the white wagtail in central Europe. The bird breeds widely across the country, from river valleys and lakeshores to farmyards and urban parks. The Biebrza and Narew river systems in the northeast are particularly good places to find it. Most Polish birds migrate south or southwest in autumn, heading to the Mediterranean and Africa, before returning in early spring, often among the first migrants to arrive back each year. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
The peregrine falcon has made a remarkable comeback in Poland after its population collapsed in the twentieth century due to DDT and persecution. Breeding pairs now nest on river valley cliffs, quarry faces, and tall city buildings in Warsaw and other urban centers. Conservation programs involving nest boxes on bridges and cathedrals helped drive this recovery. The species is once again a regular part of the Polish landscape. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
The mute swan is a familiar waterbird across Poland, nesting on lakes, rivers, and wetlands throughout the country. The Masurian Lake District in the northeast supports particularly strong populations. Pairs bond closely and defend their nests with great determination. Outside the breeding season, larger groups gather along the Baltic coast. Poland's wetland conservation efforts have helped keep local numbers healthy. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
The nightingale breeds mainly in western and southwestern Poland, favoring dense thickets, willow scrub and shrubby woodland edges in the lowland river valleys of the Oder and its tributaries. In the east and north of the country it is largely replaced by its close relative, the thrush nightingale, and the two even meet and occasionally interbreed in central Poland. Males begin singing soon after arriving from Africa in late April. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
In Poland, the golden eagle is a rare breeding bird, with a few dozen pairs, most of them in the Carpathians in the south, especially the Bieszczady Mountains. These eagles nest in large, old trees as well as on rock faces and hunt over mountain meadows and forest clearings. The species is strictly protected, with buffer zones around its nests. Each pair needs large, quiet areas far from people to breed. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eurasian Magpie
Pica pica
The Eurasian magpie is a common and familiar bird throughout Poland, found in agricultural landscapes, forest edges, and city parks alike. It is especially visible in the open lowland plains that cover much of the country, where scattered trees and hedgerows provide good nesting sites. Polish magpies are year round residents and do not migrate. They are known to store food underground and return to retrieve it later. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .