1. Pirin National Park Vocational High School of Veterinary Medicine
“Prof. d-r George Pavlov”
Dobrich, Bulgaria

2. Pirin National Park
Pirin National Park is a World Heritage national park that encompasses the larger part of the Pirin mountains in the southwest of Bulgaria. It has an area of 274 km2 (106 sq mi) and lies at an altitude from 1,008–2,914 m (3,307–9,560 ft).
Vihren, the highest summit of Pirin, is located within the park

3. Pirin National Park
Vihren National Park was created on 8 November 1962 with the purpose of preservation of the forests in the highest parts of the mountain. The park had an area of 62 km2 (24 sq mi), which is a small part of its modern territory. It was renamed to Pirin People's Park in 1974 with a ministerial decree and its territory was considerably enlarged.

4. Protected Animals in Pirin National Park
Fauna
A huge number of animal species are preserved in the park, a cause of the relief diversity and southerly location.
About 2090 species and subspecies of invertebrate are to be seen in the park, among them 300 rare species, 214 endemic and 175 relicts, as well as 15 that were included in international endangered species lists.

5. Protected Animals in Pirin National Park
A total of 6 fish species inhabit the park, which constitute 6% of the whole freshwater fish species of Bulgaria, whereas 8 amphibian and 11 reptile species live within the protected area. Two of the fish, varione Leuciscus souffia and Balkan trout, are also relict species.

6. Protected Animals in Pirin National Park
The number of bird species that can be seen in the park is particularly large-about 160, 40% of all bird species in Bulgaria.
Species of birds are spotted eagle, golden eagle, lesser spotted eagle, short-toed eagle, booted eagle, capercaillie, hazel grouse, eagle owl, black woodpecker, three-toed woodpecker, Alpine chough, saker Falco, levant sparrow hawk, wallcreeper;
capercaillie
hazel grouse

7. spotted eagle
golden eagle
lesser spotted eagle
booted eagle
short-toed eagle

8. three-toed woodpecker
Alpine chough
black woodpecker
eagle owl
wallcreeper
three-toed woodpecker
levant sparrow
hawk
saker Falco

9. Protected Animals in Pirin National Park
There are 45 terrestrial mammals (including 12 bat species) that inhabit the Pirin National Park, which is 50% of the total number in the country. Among them are the wild goat, and the brown bear.
wild goat
brown bear

10. Protected Animals in Pirin National Park
Mammal species include
brown bear grey wolf
jackal pine martin
rock martin polecat
badger otter
wild cat wild boar
red deer roe deer
Balkan chamois the greater mouse-eared bat
longeared bat Greek tortoise
red deer
rock martin
badger
otter
polecat

11. CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT
The inclusion of alpine meadows and mountain crags, which also cover the territories of free-ranging larger animals, is a major reason for extension of the World Heritage site. The duties of the Park administration under the ten-year Management Plan approved in 2004 Plan are to promote the protection, good management and maintenance of wilderness and biodiversity, to promote education and interpretation, scientific research, recreation, sustainable tourism and the livelihood of the local people, and to monitor habitats and species

12. CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT
Specific species conservation measures are rarely taken except for the census of birds and some large animals such as the Balkan chamois. The existing Management Plan for the Park adopted in 2004 does not allow for any further expansion or building of new ski slopes in the park.

13. ‘This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.’