Cévennes National Park

🇫🇷 France

🦅 Griffon Vultures Over the Gorges

🌍 #236 Global · 3.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #13 in Europe #21 in Desert & Scrub

Western Europe, France 515 spp. recorded

Cévennes National Park lies in the heart of south‑central France, straddling the Massif Central and the Mediterranean foothills. Its rugged limestone ridges, deep valleys and patches of Mediterranean scrub create a mosaic of oak, pine and rocky outcrops that feels distinct from the neighboring Atlantic‑influenced reserves.

44.245° N 3.666° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Gyps fulvus

Capreolus capreolus

Podarcis muralis

📊 Most Spotted

Fringilla coelebs

Parus major

Lacerta bilineata

Turdus merula

Corvus corone

Erithacus rubecula

Sylvia atricapilla

Bufo spinosus

Cyanistes caeruleus

Natrix maura

Salamandra salamandra

40–50% · Likely

Columba palumbus

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

★

Capreolus capreolus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Vulpes vulpes

Castor fiber

Equus przewalskii

Genetta genetta

Meles meles

Rhinolophus hipposideros

Martes foina

Lutra lutra

Cervus elaphus

Sciurus vulgaris

Myocastor coypus

Lepus europaeus

⭐ Iconic Species

★

Gyps fulvus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Fringilla coelebs

Parus major

Turdus merula

Corvus corone

Erithacus rubecula

Sylvia atricapilla

Cyanistes caeruleus

Columba palumbus

Phoenicurus ochruros

Garrulus glandarius

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

30–40% · Possible

Apus apus

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

★

Podarcis muralis

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Lacerta bilineata

Natrix maura

Podarcis liolepis

Anguis fragilis

Tarentola mauritanica

30–40% · Possible

Zamenis longissimus

30–40% · Possible

Malpolon monspessulanus

Timon lepidus

Natrix helvetica

Hierophis viridiflavus

20–30% · Possible

Vipera aspis

10–20% · Possible

Coronella girondica

10–20% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Bufo spinosus

50–60% · Likely

Salamandra salamandra

40–50% · Likely

Rana temporaria

30–40% · Possible

Hyla meridionalis

20–30% · Possible

Lissotriton helveticus

Alytes obstetricans

Pelodytes punctatus

Epidalea calamita

Pelobates cultripes

Pelophylax ridibundus

0–10% · With luck

Triturus marmoratus

Insufficient data

Ichthyosaura alpestris

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐦

Griffon Vulture Nesting Season

FebMarAprMay

Thousands of Griffon Vultures gather to nest and rear chicks on rocky cliffs, creating dramatic aerial displays and communal roosts visible from key viewpoints.

Gyps fulvus

50–60% · Likely

🐸

Fire Salamander Breeding

FebMarAprOctNov

After rains, Fire Salamanders emerge to breed in clear, cold streams, their striking black-and-yellow patterns visible along forest paths and watercourses.

Salamandra salamandra

40–50% · Likely

🦌

Autumn Bat Migration

SepOctNov

Bats such as Lesser Horseshoe and Common Pipistrelle migrate and forage intensively before hibernation, with echolocation calls audible at dusk and swarms of insects attracting night hunters.

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

10–20% · With luck

Rhinolophus hipposideros

20–30% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

Griffon Vulture

50–60

70–80

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

Western Roe Deer

30–40

40–50

20–30

30–40

20–30

30–40

0–10

30–40

Common Wall Lizard

30–40

40–50

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

40–50

50–60

40–50

Chaffinch

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

80–90

Great Tit

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

40–50

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

Western Green Lizard

10–20

0–10

40–50

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

40–50

10–20

20–30

Eurasian Blackbird

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

50–60

30–40

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

Carrion Crow

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

30–40

50–60

40–50

European Robin

50–60

60–70

40–50

60–70

40–50

30–40

40–50

70–80

50–60

Blackcap

40–50

30–40

50–60

60–70

40–50

30–40

Giant Toad

20–30

40–50

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

30–40

10–20

Blue Tit

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

20–30

30–40

50–60

40–50

70–80

50–60

Viperine Snake

0–10

20–30

40–50

50–60

40–50

20–30

0–10

Fire Salamander

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

20–30

30–40

70–80

80–90

30–40

Wood Pigeon

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

60–70

30–40

40–50

30–40

Animal Events

🐦 Griffon Vulture Nesting Season

🐸 Fire Salamander Breeding

🦌 Autumn Bat Migration

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good

🦅 Griffon Vultures Over the Gorges

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

358

🐒 Mammals

100

🦎 Reptiles

🐸 Amphibians

515 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

31 Threatened 13 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

2.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

56%

📊

Coverage (153 species at ≥5% of 515 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

30%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (8 bird, 3 reptile, 1 amphibian)

47% Global avg

65%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

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Cévennes National Park

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Griffon Vulture

Western Roe Deer

Common Wall Lizard

📊 Most Spotted

Chaffinch

Great Tit

Western Green Lizard

Eurasian Blackbird

Carrion Crow

European Robin

Blackcap

Giant Toad

Blue Tit

Viperine Snake

Fire Salamander

Wood Pigeon

⭐ Iconic Species

Western Roe Deer

📊 Most Spotted

Red Fox

Eurasian Beaver

Asian Wild Horse

Northern Small-spotted Genet

European Badger

Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Stone Marten

Eurasian Otter

Red Deer

Eurasian Red Squirrel

Coypu

Brown Hare

⭐ Iconic Species

Griffon Vulture

📊 Most Spotted

Chaffinch

Great Tit

Eurasian Blackbird

Carrion Crow

European Robin

Blackcap

Blue Tit

Wood Pigeon

Black Redstart

Eurasian Jay

Eurasian Crag Martin

Common Swift

⭐ Iconic Species

Common Wall Lizard

📊 Most Spotted

Western Green Lizard

Viperine Snake

Catalonian Wall Lizard

Slow Worm

Moorish Gecko

Aesculapian Snake

Montpellier Snake

Ocellated Lizard

barred grass snake

Green Whip Snake

Asp Viper

Southern Smooth Snake

📊 Most Spotted

Giant Toad

Fire Salamander

European Common Frog

Mediterranean Tree Frog

Palmate Newt

Common Midwife Toad

Common Parsley Frog

Natterjack Toad

Iberian Spadefoot Toad

Marsh Frog

Marbled Newt

Alpine Newt

Animal Events

Griffon Vulture Nesting Season

Griffon Vulture