Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the ...

Skanderbeg , reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468 , predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti , successor = Gjon Kastrioti II , spouse = Donika Arianiti , issue = Gjon Kastrioti II , royal house = Kastrioti , father ...

Ohrid Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording a population of over 42,000 inh ...

Pindus The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metr ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

Pukë Pukë ( sq-definite, Puka) is a town and municipality in northern Albania. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Gjegjan, Pukë, Qelëz, Qerret and Rrapë, that became municipal units. The ...

Lurë Lurë is a former municipality in the Dibër County, northeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Dibër. The population at the 2011 census was 1,096.Korab alongside the regions of Martanesh and Çermenikë. The south includes the valley of Shkumbin as well as the mountains of

Mokër Mokër is a geographical region in Southeastern Albania, composed by 47 villages, which are all above 1,000m from sea level. The region is composed of two subregions, Upper Mokër (Mokra e Sipërme) and Lower Mokër (Mokra e Poshtme). As a resul ...

and Valamara, the plain of Korçë with the upper districts of Devoll and

Kolonjë Kolonjë is a municipality in Korçë County, southeastern Albania. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the former municipalities Barmash, Çlirim, Ersekë, Leskovik, Mollas, Novoselë, Qendër Ersekë and Qendër Leskovik. The seat of th ...

. The relief of the central mountain range is varied and supplied with high mountain passes, steep canyons and

gorge A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency to c ...

s, dense

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s and alpine landscapes dotted with glacial lakes, which in turn provide excellent conditions for a great

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity' ...

. Most of the terrain was formed by ultramafic rocks, originating from the earth's

mantle A mantle is a piece of clothing, a type of cloak. Several other meanings are derived from that. Mantle may refer to: *Mantle (clothing), a cloak-like garment worn mainly by women as fashionable outerwear **Mantle (vesture), an Eastern Orthodox ve ...

, which has become largely serpentinite. The

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

s of the region are home to some of the most iconic views and landscapes of the country. There are six

national park A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...

s, a

ramsar site A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O) *** Permanent 8 ha (P) *** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts) ** biosphere reserve and a

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

located in the region. Likely the largest protected areas, measured by area, are the Korab-Koritnik Nature Park and Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park.

Geology

Korab Mountains

The Korab Mountains are the highest and longest

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...

within the central mountain range. The relief is varied and endowed with many glacial lakes, mountain passes, canyons,

gorge A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency to c ...

s and depressions. It extend some from the north to the south between the lower section of the Black Drin and its tributary Radika. The mountain range are largely composed

Paleozoic The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. The name ''Paleozoic'' ( ;) was coined by the British geologist Adam Sedgwick in 1838 by combining the Greek words ''palaiós'' (, "old") and ' ...

sedimentary rocks of dolomite, limestone, sand and conglomerates. The Korab massif is the fourth highest peak in the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

, the highest peak of Albania and

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

and also one of only two summits in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

, which are the highest point for more than one country. Furthermore, Korab is the 18th most prominent mountain summit in the

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

. Other peaks include Maja e Moravës , Mali i Gramës Korab II , Korab III , Korab Gates , Maja e Moravës , Shulani i Radomirës and Small Korab . Korab encompasses , 63.5% within the Albanian territory. The Albanian part of the mountain range is a protected nature park. Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)

Korab is renowned for its 39 glacial lakes located between 2,340 metres elevation above the Adriatic, the largest and the deepest of them being Gramë. The forests are composed of diverse species of

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, a ...

and coniferous trees and a variety of wildflowers. They are abundant in species such as

beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engl ...

, austrian pine, silver fir, bosnian pine, macedonian pine, and black alder. The fauna is represented of numerous species of large mammals such as brown bears, wolves, lynxes,

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds ...

s, goshawks, and many others.

Jabllanicë and Shebenik Mountains

The Jabllanicë Mountains ( sq, Jabllanicë) lies on the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, with over 50% of its area in Albania and the remaining in

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

. It runs from the Ohrid Lake on the border between Albania and North Macedonia in north-south direction through the boundary of both countries to the city of Debar next to the Debar Lake. In the east, the mountains falls down into the

valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...

s of the Black Drin and the Ohrid Lake. In the west, the Shebenik mountains are located, which reaches nearly an equal height as the Jabllanica mountain range. Within the Shebenik mountains, there are around nine small glacial lakes with Rajca Lake being the largest with a length of and a width of . It is located on the eastern slopes and the most southern lake on Shebenik. Maja e Shebenikut is the highest peak at above the Adriatic. The mountains are the source of the name of the Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park. Large areas are covered with beech, oak, and conifer forests. Due to its natural heritage and remarkable flora and fauna, the Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park forms a part of the Primeval beech forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe, that was declared a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 2017. Most of

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

's large mammals inhabit the area such as the brown bear,

wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly u ...

,

boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

, chamois and

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the ...

. Furthermore, the

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

Balkan lynx The Balkan lynx (''Lynx lynx balcanicus'') is a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx in the genus ''Lynx''. It is found in Albania, Kosovo, eastern Serbia, and western North Macedonia, with smaller populations in Montenegro. It is considered a natio ...

still survives in the mountains.

Valamara Mountains

The Valamara Mountains lies between the Shkumbin valley in the north and Devoll valley in the south. Moreover, the Shkumbin river originates in the mountains. The mountains are situated on the territory of three districts such as

Gramsh Gramsh may refer to: *Gramsh District, former district in Elbasan County * Gramsh (municipality), a municipality in central Albania * Gramsh, Lezhë, a village in the municipality of Lezhë, Lezhë County See also *KF Gramshi, football club of Gram ...

, Pogradec and Korçë. The summit of the Valamara range in southwestern

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the ...

, Maja e Valamarës is the highest peak with an elevation . They are formed of

Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Creta ...

and

Paleozoic The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. The name ''Paleozoic'' ( ;) was coined by the British geologist Adam Sedgwick in 1838 by combining the Greek words ''palaiós'' (, "old") and ' ...

sedimentary rocks of dolomite,

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...

, sand and conglomerates formed by seas and lakes that had once covered the area. In addition to that, several glacial lakes can be found on the eastern part. The total length of the Valamarians is over and the mountain chain's width varies between . The highest altitudes occur where they are widest.

Skanderbeg Mountains

The Skanderbeg Mountains ( sq, Vargmalet e Skënderbeut) forms the border between the Central Mountain Range and Western Lowlands in the west. Although the range curves a lot, its main direction is from the north to south, extending about in north-south direction from Vau i Dejës in the north to the city of Elbasan in the south. In the west, the mountains fall steeply into the coastal plain, running along the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) ...

. In the east, it is characterized by highlands and the Mat river basin; to the north the Mirditë and to the south the mountains of Martanesh. It was formed by strong tectonic uplifts and

folds Benjamin Scott Folds (born September 12, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and composer, who is the first artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Kennedy Center in ...

during the

Triassic The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...

,

Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The J ...

and

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...

periods. The peaks are composed of

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...

, while the slopes of flysch. The northern section south of Vau i Dejës, the mountains reaches an altitude of elevation above the Adriatic in Maja e Shitës. Some kilometres, the peaks gradually become higher at Mali i Velës standing at , in the northeast of Lezhë. The mountains have abundant water reserves with a dense network of mountain springs and

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the ...

s. The long Fan river flows from Mirdita and crosses the mountains south of Mali i Velës through narrow

gorge A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency to c ...

s and canyons into the Mat river. The western section, or Kruja Chain, is an

anticline In structural geology, an anticline is a type of fold that is an arch-like shape and has its oldest beds at its core, whereas a syncline is the inverse of an anticline. A typical anticline is convex up in which the hinge or crest is the ...

structure composed of carbonate core from the

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...

-

Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...

period. It begins at the confluence of the rivers of Fan and Mat, rising quickly than the eastern section. At Mali i Krujës, it starts reaching an elevation of more than thousand, to be precise . On its western slopes the city of Krujë is located. However, it continues to rise further south of Krujë towards

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

at

Dajti Mountain Dajti () standing at above sea level, is a mountain and national park on the edge of Tirana, Albania. The Dajti belongs to the Skanderbeg range. In winter, the mountain is often covered with snow and is a popular retreat for the local population ...

s with deep canyons and gorges, which cuts the mountains into a long series of blocks. The highest peak is Dajti with . Afterwards, the Mali i Priskës and a series of mountains under above the Adriatic follows.

Hydrology

Lënie - Mapillary (qiWNFQoyU8nkjFQPm5QpKw)

The hydrography of the central mountain range is dominated by glacial lakes and a dense network of streams that temporary flow in periods of snow or rain melt. With a total length of , the Drin river is the longest and largest in the region. As the river flows through the karstic regions of the mountains and hills, its banks are steep with cliffs and precipices. The region belongs mainly to the Drin river basin. It drains nearly the entire central mountain range and most of the higher lands to the northeast and southeast. The Black Drin (''Drini i Zi'') originates from the Lake Ohrid in southeastern

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the ...

between the border with

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

and flow northwards through the Shebenik- Jabllanica and Korab mountains towards to the outskirts of Kukës in the northeast of Albania, where the Black Drin merges with the White Drin (''Drini i Bardhë''). In addition to that, the Drin river starts at the confluence of its two headwaters until the river discharges the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) ...

. Most of these streams falls swiftly from the mountains in the east towards the Adriatic coast and have cut deep, scenic gorges. The White Drin drains of the karstic landscapes of eastern Albania, while the Black Drin drains . In the southeast, the Shkumbin river flows out of the eastern part of the Valamara Mountains through the Gora Mountains and flows into the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) ...

as well. In the upper flow of the Shkumbin basin, the river passes through the

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...

hills of Valamara and

sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particle ...

s represented by cemented sands and

conglomerate Conglomerate or conglomeration may refer to: * Conglomerate (company) * Conglomerate (geology) * Conglomerate (mathematics) In popular culture: * The Conglomerate (American group), a production crew and musical group founded by Busta Rhymes ** Co ...

s. There are also the Albanian parts of freshwater lakes

Ohrid Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording a population of over 42,000 inh ...

, Prespa and Small Prespa.

Biology

Flora

The central mountain range contains extraordinary biological diversity and a vast array of

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...

s. In terms of phytogeography, the central mountain range falls within the Dinaric Mountains mixed forests,

Balkan mixed forests The Balkan mixed forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of southeastern Europe according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agency. It belongs in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests bio ...

and Pindus Mountains mixed forests terrestrial

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas o ...

s of the

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Si ...

temperate broadleaf and mixed forest and

Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub is a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The biome is generally characterized by dry summers and rainy winters, although in some areas rainfall may be uniform. Summers are typically hot in ...

biome A biome () is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. Biomes may span more than one continent. Biome is a broader ...

s, respectively. The

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s are composed of different species of

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, a ...

and coniferous trees including a great variety of

plant Plants are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotes of the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all curr ...

s of european and mediterranean type. Of particular importance is the presence of the

fir Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family (biology), family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North America, North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The ...

; 74 percent of the entire forests composed with fir in Albania can be largely found in the central mountain range. In some cases, it forms mixed forests with

beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engl ...

( european beech),

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...

( black pine), and oak ( european oak). Outstanding is the black pine which grows mainly in the northern region of the central mountain range such as in Mali i Bardhë.

Fauna

The

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as ''biota''. Zoo ...

is poorly studied, but within the Albanian Korab mountains it is represented by 37 species of mammals, among which are included the brown bear, grey wolf,

balkan lynx The Balkan lynx (''Lynx lynx balcanicus'') is a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx in the genus ''Lynx''. It is found in Albania, Kosovo, eastern Serbia, and western North Macedonia, with smaller populations in Montenegro. It is considered a natio ...

, roe deer,

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

,

weasel Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender ...

, pine marten, and red squirrel. The central mountain range provide exceptional watching opportunities for

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

species, that are threatened in the country, throughout the year. The

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds ...

and

peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey ( raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey ...

nest in rocky and forested areas adjacent to bodies of water, staying away from heavily human activity when possible such as in Korab-Koritnik Nature Park. The western capercaillie lives predominantly in the conifer forests in old rocky areas throughout the region. The griffon vulture is outstandingly rare and breeds on cliffs associated with the rugged and mountainous area. The

white White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

and dalmatian pelican, which is one of the largest bird species in the world, spend the summer season in the lakes of the Prespa National Park associated with the undisturbed

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

s,

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does in ...

marshes and permanent streams. The area of Shebenik and Jabllanicë is home to the endangered Balkan lynx that lives at the

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, a ...

and mixed forests of the mountains. It is also the southernmost point of their European habitat.

References

{{Portal bar, Europe Physiographic regions of Albania Geography of Albania