Germany’s Native Animals: The Complete List

Germany’s landscapes—from Baltic shores and lowland rivers to mixed forests and alpine meadows—support a surprising variety of wildlife. Whether you visit a city park or a remote nature reserve, the animal life reflects that range of habitats and human influence across the country.

There are 54 Germany’s native animals, ranging from Atlantic salmon to Wild boar. For each species you’ll find below German name,Scientific name,Conservation status (IUCN / national), so you can quickly see taxonomy and threat level as you scan the list you’ll find below.

Which species on the list are most threatened in Germany?

Several species show elevated risk levels; the conservation column highlights those classified as Vulnerable, Endangered, or worse at either the IUCN or national scale. Use the Conservation status (IUCN / national) column to spot locally imperiled species and prioritize those for further reading or conservation action.

How current is the information and where does it come from?

The list compiles widely used assessments (IUCN and national red lists where available) alongside standard scientific names; dates can vary by source, so check the original assessments or national databases cited in the list for the latest updates.

Germany’s Native Animals

Images and Descriptions

Roe deer

A small deer of forests, fields and hedgerows across Germany, especially central and southern regions. Common in mixed farmland and woodland edges; notable for its solitary or small-group behavior and quick, bounding escape runs.

Red deer

Large deer found in forests and low mountain ranges like the Harz and Bavarian Forest. Often seen at dusk; males roar in autumn rut and antlers are a familiar sign of mature woodland habitats.

Wild boar

Omnivorous and adaptable, wild boar inhabit forests, wetlands and agricultural edges across Germany. Known for rooting behavior that shapes soil and vegetation; populations have increased in many regions in recent decades.

Brown hare

Prefers open farmland and grasslands, common in eastern and northern Germany but declining with intensive agriculture. Notable for fast sprinting and the spring “boxing” behavior of males and females.

European hedgehog

Found in gardens, parks, hedgerows and woodland edges across towns and countryside. Nocturnal insectivore that rolls into a spiny ball for defense; numbers are falling due to habitat loss and road mortality.

Red fox

Very adaptable predator living in forests, fields, suburbs and cities throughout Germany. Opportunistic diet and crafty behavior make it one of the most familiar wild mammals in urban and rural areas.

Grey wolf

Naturally recolonising Germany from the east, wolves now breed in several northern and eastern regions. Packs use large territories; their return has important ecological and social implications.

Eurasian lynx

Secretive forest predator found in reintroduction and recolonization areas like the Harz and Bavarian Forest. Solitary and crepuscular, lynx help control deer populations where they persist.

European otter

Lives along rivers, lakes and coastal waters; populations have recovered after pollution controls and habitat work. Noted for agile swimming and fish-based diet, otters indicate improving water quality.

European beaver

Prefers slow rivers and wetlands, building dams and lodges that create rich wetland habitats. Once extinct in Germany, beavers have been reintroduced and now occur across many river systems.

European badger

Nocturnal digger of woodlands and farmland edges, living in communal setts. Badgers forage for earthworms and small animals and are a familiar sight on rural roads at night.

Eurasian red squirrel

Tree-dwelling squirrel of coniferous and mixed forests, common in many parks and woodlands but declining locally where habitat fragments. Known for bushy tail and seed caching.

White stork

Favors wetlands, meadows and farmland; breeds on rooftops and platforms especially in eastern and northern Germany. Migratory but returns each spring; culturally significant and often visible in open countryside.

Common crane

Breeds in wetlands and reedbeds in northeastern Germany and larger marshes; notable for dramatic courtship dances and large migratory flocks in spring and autumn.

White-tailed eagle

Found near coasts, large lakes and river estuaries, especially in the north and east. Once rare, conservation has restored breeding populations; these massive raptors feed on fish and carrion.

Eurasian blackcap

A small songbird of woodlands, parks and gardens across Germany. Noted for its melodic song and flexible migration patterns, some now overwinter in urban areas due to milder winters.

European robin

Familiar garden and woodland bird with a red breast; stays year-round in many regions. Bold around humans and often sings through much of the year.

Barn swallow

Breeds on farms, barns and bridges across Germany; feeds on aerial insects and is a familiar sight in summer. Populations are sensitive to insect declines and farming changes.

Common buzzard

Medium-sized raptor using woodlands, farmland and hills across Germany. Often seen soaring on thermals; diet includes small mammals and carrion, making it a versatile predator.

Eurasian blue tit

Common in deciduous woodlands, parks and gardens; cavity nester that readily uses nest boxes. Energetic and acrobatic foragers of caterpillars and insects.

Black woodpecker

Inhabits mature forests, especially in central and southern uplands. A large, loud woodpecker that excavates big nest cavities used later by many other species.

Great crested grebe

Frequently seen on lakes and large ponds across Germany; famous for elaborate courtship displays and floating nests anchored to vegetation.

Mute swan

Large resident waterbird on lakes, rivers and coastal lagoons; commonly kept near towns but also a wild breeder with territorial pairs.

Eurasian skylark

Open-field bird of grasslands and farmland, historically common but declining with intensive agriculture. Notable for long, hovering song flights over fields.

Common kingfisher

Brightly colored small bird that hunts small fish from riverbanks and canals; best found on clean, slow-flowing waters with perches and banks for nest burrows.

Tawny owl

Silent-flight night predator of woodlands and larger gardens, nesting in tree holes and old buildings. Characteristic hooting voice and secretive daytime roosts.

Common gull

Widespread coastal and inland gull that breeds on freshwater lakes and marshes; adaptable feeding on fish, invertebrates and urban food sources.

Grass snake

Nonvenomous snake frequenting wetlands, ponds and riverbanks across Germany. Often basks near water and feeds on amphibians; harmless to humans and good swimmer.

European adder

Venomous but shy viper found in heathland, open woodland and moor edges, mainly in cooler regions. Recognizable by zigzag pattern and important role in prey control.

Sand lizard

Occupies dry heathland, sand dunes and sunny open habitats, especially in northern and eastern Germany. Sexually dimorphic and protected in many regions because of habitat loss.

European pond turtle

A freshwater turtle surviving in isolated ponds and slow rivers, mostly in eastern and southwestern Germany. Populations are fragmented and often the focus of local conservation efforts.

Fire salamander

Bright black-and-yellow salamander of moist deciduous and mixed forests; breeds in small streams and is sensitive to fungal disease and pollution.

Smooth newt

Small newt found in garden ponds, ditches and slow waters across Germany; males develop crests in mating season and many populations are resilient in suburban areas.

Common frog

Widespread in woodlands, meadows and gardens; breeds in ponds and ditches each spring. Hardy frog that tolerates cooler climates and early spawning.

Natterjack toad

Prefers sandy soils, dunes and temporary pools, especially in northern coastal and heathland regions. Distinctive yellow stripe down the back and loud breeding calls.

Brown trout

Native to cold, oxygen-rich rivers and streams in upland regions; prized by anglers and sensitive to water pollution and temperature changes.

Atlantic salmon

Anadromous species that migrates from sea to spawn in clean rivers like parts of the Elbe and Rhine tributaries. Restoration and fish passes aim to recover historic runs.

European eel

Long-lived, migratory eel that spawns in the Sargasso Sea and recruits to German rivers and coasts; populations have crashed due to barriers, pollution and overfishing.

Northern pike

Ambush predator common in lakes, rivers and reedbeds across Germany. Large pike are apex freshwater predators important for fish community structure.

Roach

Small schooling fish in lakes, rivers and canals across Germany; tolerant species that forms a backbone of freshwater food webs and supports many predators.

European stag beetle

Large, iconic beetle of old oak woods and suburban gardens with deadwood, where larvae develop for years. Protected in Germany due to loss of veteran trees and deadwood resources.

Seven-spot ladybird

Common in gardens, meadows and farmland where it eats aphids. Widely recognized and beneficial for natural pest control.

European mantis

A predatory insect found in warm, sunny grasslands and dry slopes; at the northern edge of its range in Germany and notable for upright posture and ambush hunting.

Large blue butterfly

Specialist of species-rich calcareous grasslands; larvae have complex relationship with certain ant species. Once extinct locally in many areas, now target of reintroduction work.

Swallowtail

Large, showy butterfly of wetlands, meadows and river valleys; caterpillars feed on umbellifers and adults are strong flyers often seen by rivers.

Emperor dragonfly

A large dragonfly frequenting warm lakes and slow rivers; powerful flyer and visible hunting over open water where it eats other insects.

Roman snail

Large land snail found in calcareous soils, hedgerows and vineyard margins. Historically collected as food; populations are stable where habitat patchwork persists.

Common cockchafer

A large spring-time beetle of woodlands and farmland whose larvae feed on roots; populations fluctuate and were famously abundant in past decades.

Glow-worm

Nocturnal beetle whose glowing females attract mates in meadows and road verges; declines linked to habitat loss and pesticide use, conservation focuses on wildflower-rich sites.

Red wood ant

Builds large mound nests in coniferous and mixed forests, tending aphids and influencing soil and insect communities. Important for nutrient cycling and forest biodiversity.

European mole

Lives underground in gardens, meadows and fields across Germany, creating distinctive molehills. Primarily insectivorous and rarely seen above ground.

Common pipistrelle

Small bat that roosts in buildings and trees, foraging for insects in towns and countryside at dusk. One of Germany’s most widespread bat species.

Greater mouse-eared bat

Large, primarily ground-foraging bat found in caves, mines and old buildings; vulnerable to roost disturbance but protected across its range.

River lamprey

Parasitic or semi-parasitic fish using coastal rivers to reach spawning grounds; present in better-connected river systems and sensitive to barriers and pollution.

Native Animals in Other Countries