Latvia's protected species list now includes 745 plants, animals and fungi

According to Latvia's Nature Conservation Agency, the national list of protected species currently includes 745 species. The list spans flowering plants and ferns, fungi, mosses, lichens and stoneworts, as well as mammals, birds, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles and fish.

Rare and endangered species

Among the listed species are several rare and endangered ones, including the freshwater pearl mussel, the yellow lady's slipper orchid, the red helleborine, the European roller and the fire-bellied toad. The list also includes species that may no longer be found in the wild in Latvia, such as the flying squirrel and a species of alpine leek known locally as Alpu kreimule.

A chance to test your knowledge

Alongside this information, a short public quiz has appeared, inviting people to test how well they know Latvia's protected species — for example, whether they can correctly identify which of a given list of animals and plants are legally protected. The quiz aims to raise public awareness of Latvia's biodiversity and the importance of conserving it.

The protected species list serves as the legal basis for safeguarding these species and their habitats, and compliance with it is important for preventing the disappearance of rare and endangered species from Latvia's natural environment.