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The fauna of Latvia includes 62 mammal species, but an additional 19
are theoretically possible or can occur as occasional visitors, for
example, harbour seal Phoca vitulina, harbour porpoise Phocoena
phocoena, and Laxmann's shrew Sorex caecutiens.
Most (63%) of the mammals in Latvia inhabit forests, and 24% of
the species are associated mainly with agricultural landscapes (e.g.
parks) or open water bodies. Only five species are associated with
open habitats (e.g. striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius,
European hare Lepus europaeus), and three with synanthropic
areas - house mouse Mus musculus, Norway rat Rattus
norvegicus and black rat Rattus rattus.
Some mammal species use a combination of habitats, one for
feeding and another for hiding. For example, roe deer Capreolus
capreolus and red deer Cervus elaphus mainly live in
forests, but they feed in open habitats (meadows, pasture, fields or
clearings).
The bird fauna of Latvia is fairly rich, due to the geographical
location and the diversity of habitats for nesting, resting and
feeding. The Baltic Sea coast is a traditional migratory route for
northern Eurasian birds, along which they travel to wintering
locations in West Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and to summer
locations in the tundra and taiga. The migrating birds (at least
140) that nest in Latvia include the common stork Ciconia ciconia,
skylark Alauda arvensis, and all warbler (Sylviinae) species.
Typical species that travel through but do not nest (or in small
numbers) in Latvia (55-60 species) include whistling swan Cygnus
columbianus and bean goose Anser fabalis. There are about
15 wintering species in Latvia, for example rough-legged hawk Buteo
lagopus and waxwing Bombicilla garrulus. Several species
are chance visitors that are not usually recorded. A total of 223
bird species nest in Latvia, including several species that are very
rare elsewhere: white-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla,
short-toed eagle Circaetus gallicus, and black stork Ciconia
nigra.
Of the bird species found in Latvia, 152 are mentioned in the
European Union Bird Directive, and almost all (99%) in the 1979 Bern
Convention On the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural
Habitats.
The amphibian and reptile numbers are low due to a cool climate.
Almost half of the species are listed in the Latvia Red Data Book.
Of the fish in Latvia, most are freshwater species. These species
are found not only in the rivers and lakes, but also in brackish
waters of the Rîga Gulf.
There are more than 17,500 invertebrate species in Latvia, but
another 12,000 may be yet found.
Numbers of wild animals in
Latvia, and the proportion of these species in the Latvian Red
Data Book
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