The rich forests of Pelion and the crop zones scattered within them constitute ideal feeding zones and excellent shelters for a wide variety of living organisms.
Mammals
Mt Pelion hosts almost all the typical species that compose the fauna of mainland Greece: Weasel (Mustela nivalis), Marten (Martes foina), Mountain hare (Lepus europaeus), Badger (Meles meles), Wildcat (Felis silvestris), Wild boar (Sus scrofa), Fox (Vulpes vulpes). Beside, some Wolves (Canis lupus) roam the the forests and the adjacent rural areas of Mt Pelion.
In addition, the presence of the Mediterranean seal (Monachus monachus) on the shores is of particular interest. The Mediterranean seal is considered one of the rarest marine mammals in the world, as less than 700 individuals remain in 3-4 isolated subpopulations in the Aegean and the Mediterranean.
Birds
The presence of a wide range of habitats, from sea level to the peaks of Mount Pelion, allow the appearance of a fairly large number of bird species. The dense forests, the extensive crops and the coastal rocks compose a diverse landscape and allow the coexistence of different groups species, from birds of the woodland to species of coastal habitats.
The most important presence is that of the Semicollared flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata), which breeds in the area with more than 10 pairs, a breeding pair of Lanner falcon (Falco biarmicus) and a breeding pair of Booted eagles (Aquila pennata). These species were also the criteria for the designation of Pelion as a Special Protection Zone of the Natura 2000 Network in implementation of the European Bird Directive.
Also of special interest is the presence of the Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) that nests on steep cliffs near the sea, where it hunts its prey, but also of the Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), an endangered species of migratory hawk. Other species of birds of prey that are found in the area are the Lesser spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina), the European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorous), the Long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus), but also the Common buzzard (Buteo buteo).
Reptiles and amphibians
Most probable reptiles and amphibians to be observed in the area are the European ratsnake (Zamenis situla), the European cat snake(Telescopus fallax), the European blind snake (Xerotyphlops vermicularis), the European pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis), the Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni), the Marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata) and several species of lizards: the European copper skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii), the Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus), the Kotschy's gecko (Mediodactylus kotschyi), the Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata), the European green lizard (Lacerta viridis), while the Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is a usual encounter in shady and wet places in the forest.
