Italy’s most threatened animal species include the Marsican brown bear, European eel, Adriatic sturgeon, and Mediterranean monk seal — all facing critical risk due to habitat loss, pollution, and human activity.

Key Species at Risk in Italy

Here are some of the most endangered animals identified by the IUCN Red List for Italian vertebrates and recent conservation reports:

Species
Status (IUCN)
Habitat
Main Threats

Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus)
Critically Endangered
Central Apennines
Habitat fragmentation, poaching, low population (~50 individuals)

European eel (Anguilla anguilla)
Critically Endangered
Rivers, lakes, Mediterranean
Overfishing, pollution, dams blocking migration

Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii)
Critically Endangered
Po River basin
Overfishing, habitat degradation, water pollution

Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus)
Endangered
Mediterranean coasts
Tourism disturbance, fishing nets, habitat loss

Italian cave salamander (Speleomantes italicus)
Endangered
Apennine caves
Habitat destruction, climate change

Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis)
Endangered
Mediterranean Sea
Bycatch, pollution, decline in prey fish

Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus)
Near Threatened
Sardinia, Abruzzo
Poisoning, habitat loss

Zelkova sicula (tree, but important)
Critically Endangered
Sicily
Extremely restricted range, climate change

Sources: IUCN Italian Red List, Managaia report on endangered Italian speciesmanagaia.eco, Flora Fauna Fun endangered species list.

Why These Species Are Disappearing

• Habitat loss & fragmentation: Urbanization, roads, and agriculture reduce viable living space.

• Pollution & climate change: Rivers and seas are heavily impacted by industrial waste and warming waters.

• Overexploitation: Fishing and hunting pressure remain high for species like sturgeon and eel.

• Small populations: Some species, like the Marsican bear, have dangerously low numbers, making them vulnerable to disease or accidents.

⚠️ Risks & Conservation Challenges

• Genetic bottlenecks: Tiny populations risk inbreeding and reduced resilience.

• Human conflict: Bears and wolves often clash with farmers, leading to illegal killings.

• Tourism pressure: Monk seals and dolphins are disturbed by boats and coastal development.

• Weak enforcement: Protective laws exist but are inconsistently applied.

Conservation Efforts

• Protected areas: National parks (Abruzzo, Gran Paradiso) safeguard habitats.

• Reintroduction programs: Vultures and sturgeons are being bred and released.

• EU directives: Italy follows Natura 2000 and Habitats Directive for species protection.

• Awareness campaigns: NGOs highlight biodiversity loss to push for stronger policies.

Italy’s biodiversity is rich but fragile. Protecting these species means balancing human development with ecological preservation. I

Which animal species are most threatened with extinction in Italy?

Italy’s most threatened animal species include the Marsican brown bear, European eel, Adriatic sturgeon, and Mediterranean monk seal — all...

Which animal species are most threatened with extinction in Italy?

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Hi everyone

In today's post I want to tell you a little about what I did yesterday, because I also had the opportunity to visit a beautiful city called Padua and which is practically in the Veneto region, I went by train with my niece whom I accompanied because she had to take an important exam for the university, and she has practically been enrolled at the University of Padua for some years.

I confess that I have been to Padua several times, because A few years ago I practically had a half-girlfriend, with whom I frequented, and therefore every now and then I also like to go back to maybe meet some old friends, certainly the part I like more than Padua is Prato della Valle which you can practically see in the photo and it is where the market practically takes place, in fact while I was waiting for my niece to conclude this exam I took a tour inside this market.

Think of yourself that besides being a city rich in history and culture Padua is famous all over the world for its ancient university which was founded in 1222 and is today one of the most prestigious not only in Italy but also in Europe. that's why in fact my niece who is practically studying medicine chose to come to Padua from Milan to study.

Then Padua has a great religious importance having been the home of Sant'Antonio one of the saints certainly most revered by the church and famous throughout the world especially in South America, in fact here is the famous Basilica of Sant'Antonio which contains the relics of the Santo and it is certainly one of the main tourist attractions of the city that you absolutely must not miss if you come to Padua.

When my niece finished taking the exam we walked around the streets of Padua, and we had an aperitif at the famous Pedrotti café but in any case there are many museums and places to visit in Padua because it is famous for its great artistic heritage and architectural and is also famous for the botanical gardens which are a Unesco world heritage site. a Padua by night that I had only seen on very few occasions, and I must say that it is a city full of life because there were a lot of people even in the evening.

I hope you enjoyed this post of mine and I hope you also enjoyed the photos I took yesterday, I didn't take many but I hope you enjoyed the few I took, see you soon See you next time

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I'm going to Padua to take my niece to an exam

Hi everyone In today's post I want to tell you a little about what I did yesterday, because I also had the opportunity to visit a be...

I'm going to Padua to take my niece to an exam

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An afternoon stroll in Trieste

Today has been a day of "improvisation", I had planned to go to Verona but I overslept and when we went to the train station it was too late to do the tour in one day, so we had to improvise and look for another destination.

After looking at several options we chose to go to Trieste, a beautiful city, with great buildings and with a lot of freshness.

I loved the architecture of this place, all the buildings are imposing and in perfect condition. The city is very welcoming and with different attractions.

You can tell that it is a city with history as soon as you walk through its cobblestone streets, and at the same time it has opened up to modernization, it is a mixture of both.

We were in the square "La Piazza dell'Unità" or Piazza dell'Unità d'Italia, surrounded by imposing buildings like the ones you see in the pictures, among which are the Government Palace and the City Hall Palace.

In front of the square is the promenade, a long walkway around the sea, with a harbor in the background with large boats.

The gastronomy is varied and there are cafes for all tastes. I liked to see many stores with more than 60 years old.

As a travel experience I can tell you that we have suffered a little with the language issue, it has not been easy to get people who speak Spanish, even in the hotels. When we got on the bus to the train station we could barely understand that we had to buy the bus ticket through a mobile application.

Everything is very orderly here, the public transportation is impeccable in terms of comfort and punctuality. Very organized.

It's a destination that I would like to repeat to see with more time many other attractions that I could not appreciate because of the time factor.

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An afternoon stroll in Trieste

An afternoon stroll in Trieste Today has been a day of "improvisation", I had planned to...

An afternoon stroll in Trieste

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Hello to all the visitors of this community!

By the way, I want to take advantage of this opportunity and I'm glad that it has been revived anyway, so we have this space where we can share our experiences but also our travels that we do, and I apologize if I am not very present but I am quite busy with the move, so I really have little time to write.

However, today I managed to carve out some time, also to take a break from the sweltering heat hitting Bologna. I wanted to share with you some photos I took a few evenings ago, where I had a somewhat special experience. It was my first time, but I know it's a fairly widespread trend not only in Italy but around the world, which is to have these culinary experiences in nature, among vineyards or, as in this case, in a lavender field.

It wasn't the first time I visited a lavender field, a trend that has become quite popular in recent years. I love the scent of lavender. In fact, usually my shower gel and body cream have that lavender scent, and I usually buy products that are matched with this fragrance.

However, a friend of mine proposed this experience some time ago, which I honestly considered a bit expensive right away since I paid almost €30 to taste products in a location that is basically a lavender field.

In the end, though, I viewed this experience positively because it's a very romantic thing, especially if you catch a beautiful day and can admire a stunning sunset. Most importantly, I could enjoy quality products and taste excellent wines, so I think the price was fair in the end.

Of course, those who cultivate these lavender fields try to create a bit of a business beyond just producing lavender-scented products. Nevertheless, it's very beautiful because for those who adore lavender like me, it's like being in paradise.

I hope to have another similar experience soon, perhaps in a different natural setting, and I hope you can do it too! Anyway, I hope to share my next post in these communities very soon. Kisses to all!!

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Exploring Lavender Fields: A Culinary and Natural Experience

Hello to all the visitors of this community! By the way, I want to take advantage of this opportunity and I'm glad that it has been ...

Exploring Lavender Fields: A Culinary and Natural Experience

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Hello traveling friends,

In today's post, I want to start telling you about my upcoming vacation that will last several months, and I'm really excited about it. But most importantly, I'll be sharing it with a very important friend of mine, Giulia, whom I've known since childhood. In these months, we plan to travel around Italy without a predetermined destination, simply going wherever we feel like each day.

I think that sometimes, planning a trip well in advance and deciding exactly how you want your vacation to be isn't very enjoyable. It's nice to organize things as we go along. Our first stop will be Sardinia, a place I've been to several times in my life. Even though I've visited many places in Sardinia, there are still enchanting locations on this beautiful island that I haven't seen.

Another aspect of this trip is that we'll be keeping it very low cost. I don't intend to spend a lot of money. Moreover, I believe that the simplest things are always the best, and I don't consider certain travel comforts to be essential.

Our first destination is Castelsardo, a little-known town in the world that is located in the province of Sassari, in the northwestern part of Sardinia. This area is more naturalistic and deserves to be experienced fully.

This place, situated towards the end of the Gulf of Asinara, is included in the list of the most beautiful villages in Italy. I noticed this immediately from the first few hours I spent here. Even though I'm not particularly interested in art and history, I still enjoy living in and appreciating these beautiful places. My friend Giulia will probably appreciate this place more, especially since she is a graduate and very knowledgeable. In fact, it was mostly her who chose this location.

On our first day, we took a little stroll through the city to admire the architecture and the atmosphere in these small villages. It wasn't too demanding, but there were a lot of people around, and even though it's not widely known, we came across many foreign tourists. We didn't climb to the top of the hill that practically overlooks this village to see the Rocca, which is the castle built by the Doria family. I don't know if we'll visit it tomorrow; we haven't planned our day properly yet.

What struck me about Castelsardo were the shops selling Sardinian handicrafts. We found a man who was making a kind of basket, and it was truly a beautiful experience, especially for someone like me who comes from Milan, a big city, and probably isn't accustomed to encountering these small craft shops. I believe that these shops should be preserved over time because they represent a rich heritage of this Sardinian land.

I only took these photos; we'll see if I can take more to share with you here tomorrow. The idea is certainly to move to other regions, perhaps by taking a ferry. We're still evaluating the costs because unfortunately, it's very expensive to travel during peak season. Nevertheless, it will definitely be an adventurous trip that I haven't done in many years, and I've been craving it, especially after the pandemic period.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I hope you liked the first photos, so stay tuned because there's more to come!

Goodbye, everyone.

 

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The holidays can finally begin!

Hello traveling friends, In today's post, I want to start telling you about my upcoming vacation that will last several months, and ...

The holidays can finally begin!

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Hello everyone, fellow travellers!

I am reading all the posts shared daily in this community and have been fascinated by the beautiful destinations you are suggesting. Thanks to you, I have found a lot of inspiration for my future travels.

Today I want to tell you about a nature reserve that I discovered during the pandemic. I was there for work in the province of Chieti, near the town of Vasto, and this gave me the opportunity to discover this wonderful place. The nature reserve is located on the Abruzzo coast and was declared such in 1998. It is a very naturalistic area, just the way I like it.

I must say that the photos I share here in this post do not do justice to the beauty of this place. From my experience, this nature reserve is even more beautiful in person. It is a perfect place for people who love walking, hiking and taking photos. I remember that time I met many people walking with horses and many photographers. Unlike many beaches and waters in southern Italy, I found everything very clean and wonderful.

As usual, one of the points I criticise about these places is that they are undervalued. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to discover this place by chance, otherwise I probably would never have known it. In addition, you can enter freely without paying a ticket. This is a great advantage for me, since in many parks I have visited, even in the United States, you are not allowed to bring your pet. In this nature reserve, however, animals are allowed and the beach is completely free. This might be seen as a disadvantage by some people, but for me it is a big advantage not having to buy anything.

When visiting these places, it is important to be a little organised and bring things like an umbrella and food and drink. There are no shops or restaurants in this area, but this is a good thing because you don't have to pay to enter. During my trip, I noticed that there was not much rejection because there were probably few people there due to the pandemic. However, it is always important to respect the environment and not leave rubbish behind.

The stony beach of the reserve is only accessible on foot, through a path of about 1.5 kilometres, which will allow you to immerse yourself in nature and appreciate the beauty of this place more intensively. During the summer period, there is also a shuttle bus available for those who do not want to tackle the walk, but in my opinion, walking in the middle of nature is the best experience.

So I recommend this place, especially to the many people I have seen who share their posts in the community here, who have practically embraced the van-life, this life always in a camper or a van, in fact as I was telling you there is a campsite nearby for those who need various connections, but also a beautiful free car park, and this I can tell you from experience is not easy to find around here.

I hope you liked my photos, even though they are old, as I told you they still date back to the period of the pandemic, when in Italy there were a lot of restrictions, but as I always say in bad times sometimes you discover beautiful places, like the case of this reserve.

I wish you a good night, because by the time this post comes out in Italy it will practically be night, see you next time.

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A beautiful nature reserve!

Hello everyone, fellow travellers! I am reading all the posts shared daily in this community and have been fascinated by the beautiful des...

A beautiful nature reserve!

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Today I would like to take you to the discovery of a sanctuary, little known in Italy but which has a very particular story to tell and to discover.

We are located exactly in Soave in the province of Verona, in this small medieval village there is a small sanctuary that was built in the oldest district of the village: Borgo Bassano

The current sanctuary was built and completed in 1838 to thank the Madonna for having saved the inhabitants of the village from cholera, a nasty disease that plagued the area.

There was already a small church built by the friars but it was destroyed to make room for this sanctuary.

way to enterpanorama of the vineyards from the squaresquare

Inside this sanctuary there is the bust of the Virgin Mary, this will tell the legend it was transported from the place where a little shepherd had an apparition.

In fact, the story is very special, a shepherd boy was looking at his sheep when a lady with a splendid light appeared to him and told him to call the parish priest of the village, he went to the parish priest but when he returned he found a statue of the Madonna and the water that it gushed out where his sheep had gone for refreshment.

So the parish priest decided to post the statue in the church.

The entrance is very beautiful with these fake Roman columns.

The church inside is not very illuminated, it is quite small, it is very simple, there are beautiful stained glass windows depicting saints and above there is a beautiful fresco by the Soavese painter mattielli who lived nearby.

In the main altar there is the statue of the Madonna, completely decorated in gold.

On the left there is another room where the donations made by the faithful who receive a grace from the Madonna are kept.

This is the fresco that I was telling you that has been restored a few years ago.

In the sanctuary the Madonna is celebrated in August each year with a procession that starts from the point of the apparition.

Thank you for reading this article, I hope I have made you discover a little-known Sanctuary to the mass but which is worth visiting.

I leave you below a video that I shot again last summer.

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THE SANCTUARY OF BASSANELLA IN SOAVE (VERONA)

Today I would like to take you to the discovery of a sanctuary, little known in Italy but which has a very particular story to tell and to d...

THE SANCTUARY OF BASSANELLA IN SOAVE (VERONA)

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