When people think of Italy, they imagine grand cities, delicious food, and rich history. But beyond the vineyards and medieval towns, Italy is home to a stunning variety of wildlife. From tiny, endemic creatures found nowhere else in the world to massive whales in the open sea, Italy’s nature is full of surprises.

Join us as we journey through the country’s most fascinating animals: where to find them, how to spot them, and the best parks and sanctuaries to visit!

Italy has some animals that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. These species have evolved in specific regions, from the Alps to Sicily. Let’s meet them!

📍 Where to find it: Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park

The Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) is, unfortunately, one of the most critically endangered mammals in Europe. This unique subspecies of the brown bear is smaller, more solitary, and less aggressive than its northern relatives. It mainly eats berries, nuts, roots, and honey, making it more of a forager than a predator.

Once widespread across central Italy, this bear now survives in only one place: the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park. Conservation efforts are in place to protect the remaining fewer than 60 individuals, but the biggest threats remain habitat loss and human activity.

Best Spotting Tip: bears are most active at dawn and dusk. We recommend asking experts guide on how to spot the bear - or ask us to help you craft the perfect itinerary!

📍 Where to find it: Gran Sasso and Majella National Parks

The Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) is an icon of Italian wilderness and deeply tied to the country’s mythology - after all, it was a she-wolf who supposedly raised Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.
Smaller than its northern European cousins, this adaptable predator can survive in mountains, forests, and even semi-urban areas. It primarily hunts deer, wild boar, and smaller mammals, playing a crucial role in keeping ecosystems balanced.

Thanks to legal protections since the 1970s, the Apennine wolf population has rebounded from near extinction, but it is still threatened by poaching and habitat fragmentation.

Best Spotting Tip: wolves are notoriously shy and elusive, so the best way to see one is through camera traps or eco-tour night excursions in Gran Sasso or Majella National Park. These places are also amazing for a relaxing vacation immersing yourself in nature: organize your wellness trip with us.

📍 Where to find it: Sardinia’s caves and forests

The Sardinian long-eared bat (Plecotus sardus) is one of the least studied bats in the world. Only described as a distinct species in 2002, this nocturnal insect-eater remains a mystery to scientists. It is only found in Sardinia, often roosting in ancient caves, old buildings, and dense forests.

Best Spotting Tip: Join a cave tour in Sardinia’s natural reserves, where special nighttime excursions allow visitors to observe bats without disturbing them.

But first, how about spending a relaxing vacation on Sardinia’s pristine shores?

📍 Where to find it: towns and countryside across Italy

A genetic hybrid between the house sparrow and the Spanish sparrow, the Italian sparrow (Passer italiae) is a true Italian original. It is commonly seen in piazzas, gardens, and farmhouses, chirping away in small, busy flocks.

Best Spotting Tip: this sparrow is literally everywhere in Italy, but for a magical experience, visit Rome’s Villa Borghese gardens at sunrise, where birdsong fills the air.

Here’s our best Rome tours for you to choose from!

📍 Where to find it: beech forests in the Alps and Apennines

This stunning blue beetle (Rosalia alpina) is a rare sight, living only in old-growth beech forests. It plays an important role in forest ecosystems, breaking down dead wood and enriching the soil.

Unfortunately, deforestation and habitat loss have made it increasingly difficult to find. Conservation efforts in Italy’s national parks aim to protect this irreplaceable insect.

Best Spotting Tip: July and August are the best months to see this beetle. Hike in Val Grande National Park or the Gran Paradiso region, keeping an eye on fallen tree trunks.

If you love the Mountains, you should see the Alps during Summer. Let’s craft a personalized itinerary for that!

Not every wild creature in Italy is rare or hard to find. Some animals have become icons of the Italian landscape, living in forests, mountains, farmlands, and even near towns. Let’s meet them too!

📍 Where to find it: the Dolomites and Italian Alps

The Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) is one of the most entertaining creatures in Italy’s high-altitude regions. These large, chubby rodents spend most of their time foraging for plants and sunbathing on warm rocks, but their most famous trait is their sharp whistle, which warns other marmots of approaching predators like golden eagles and foxes.

Marmots hibernate for up to six months in underground burrows, emerging in spring and summer when the alpine meadows are in full bloom. If you're hiking in the Gran Paradiso National Park or the Dolomites, you’re almost guaranteed to see them scurrying between the rocks.

Best Spotting Tip: stop and listen! If you hear a sudden, high-pitched whistle echoing across the mountains, look around, you might spot a marmot standing on its hind legs, acting as a sentry for its colony.

Here’s our recommended Dolomites tour.

📍 Where to find it: forests and countryside across Italy

The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is one of Italy’s most abundant and resilient mammals. Found in forests, hills, and even city outskirts, these powerful, intelligent animals are surprisingly adaptable.

Boars are omnivores, eating everything from roots and acorns to small animals and food scraps. In regions like Tuscany and Umbria, they are also a symbol of local cuisine, with dishes like cinghiale alla cacciatora (wild boar stew) being a regional delicacy.

Best Spotting Tip: boars are mostly active at night, so if you're driving through rural areas, especially in Tuscany, Sardinia, or Lazio, keep an eye out - they sometimes wander onto roads!

Tuscany is especially famous for its boar colonies, check out our best Tuscany tours!

📍 Where to find it: olive groves, farmlands, and old ruins

The little owl (Athene noctua) is one of the most commonly seen owls in Italy, often perching on fence posts, rooftops, and tree branches in the countryside. This small but fierce predator is linked to ancient mythology: the symbol of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, and later associated with Roman knowledge and strategy.

Little owls are adaptable hunters, feeding on insects, small mammals, and reptiles. They are commonly seen in Tuscany’s rolling hills, Sicily’s vineyards, and the olive groves of Puglia.

Best Spotting Tip: as dusk falls, listen for their soft, haunting calls. If you’re near a farmhouse or a grove of old trees, you may spot one staring back at you with its piercing yellow eyes.

Why don’t you organize a Puglia retreat? We have the perfect itinerary just for you.

📍 Where to find them: Ligurian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, and Adriatic Sea

Italy’s coastline is home to some of the world’s most acrobatic marine mammals. Several dolphin species inhabit the waters of the Mediterranean, including:

• Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): the most familiar species, known for its intelligence and playful nature.
• Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba): recognizable by its blue-gray stripes along its body.
• Short-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis): once the most widespread dolphin in the Mediterranean, now rarer due to habitat changes.

Dolphins are most commonly seen in the Ligurian Sea, particularly in the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals, a protected marine area between Italy, France, and Monaco dedicated to the conservation of whales and dolphins.

Best Spotting Tip: Take a boat tour from Liguria, Sardinia, or the Amalfi Coast, especially in the morning when dolphins are most active. If you’re lucky, they might leap alongside your boat, riding the waves!

Organize your Summer in Italy with us for a personalized premium experience!

Some of Italy’s most extraordinary animals are rarely seen by the average traveler. Whether they are nocturnal, secretive, or live in remote areas, these creatures remain hidden in Italy’s dense forests, rugged mountains, and deep seas. From ghostly nocturnal birds to mysterious alpine hunters and migratory giants, let’s uncover Italy’s most elusive wildlife.

📍 Where to find it: the Alps, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Trentino

The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is Italy’s rarest big cat, having disappeared for centuries before being reintroduced in the Alps and northern Apennines. With tufted ears, thick fur, and razor-sharp reflexes, this elusive predator is a silent hunter, preying on roe deer, hares, and small mammals.

Despite conservation efforts, lynx populations in Italy remain critically low, with only a handful confirmed in Trentino and Friuli Venezia Giulia. Their ability to blend seamlessly into dense forests makes them almost impossible to spot in the wild.

Best Spotting Tip: the best way to "see" a lynx is through camera traps set up by conservation groups like the Lynx Project Italy.

📍 Where to find it: Sardinia, Lampedusa, and the Aeolian Islands

The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals. Once common across Italy’s coastline, it was pushed to near extinction due to hunting and habitat destruction. Today, small groups are returning to remote coves and underwater caves, particularly in Sardinia and the Aeolian Islands.

Conservation efforts have helped monk seals make a slow comeback, but they are still extremely rare and shy.

Best Spotting Tip: Your best chance to see a monk seal is during a responsible diving or snorkeling tour in protected areas like the Maddalena Archipelago National Park in Sardinia.

For a unique experience, check out our brand-new Aeolian Islands Sailing Tour!

📍 Where to find it: Southern Italy’s beaches (Calabria, Sicily, Puglia)

The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is a living fossil, having swum in the oceans for over 100 million years. Every summer, female turtles return to Italian beaches to lay their eggs, making Calabria, Puglia, and Lampedusa key nesting sites.

Due to pollution, climate change, and fishing nets, loggerhead turtles face an uncertain future. However, conservation groups like WWF Italy have set up protected nesting areas to ensure their survival.

Best Spotting Tip: Visit WWF turtle conservation centers in Lampedusa or Calabria, where rescued turtles are rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

Our Sicily tour might just give you the right inspiration!

📍 Where to find them: Ligurian Sea and Pelagos Sanctuary

While many travelers don’t associate Italy with whale watching, the country’s deep Mediterranean waters are a prime habitat for several species of whales and dolphins.

One of the best places in Europe to see whales is the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals, a massive 87,500 km² protected area covering the Ligurian Sea, northern Tyrrhenian Sea, and parts of the French and Monaco coasts. Thanks to the sanctuary’s rich waters full of squid, krill, and fish, it has become a safe haven for many marine mammals.

Here are some of the largest and most fascinating whales you can spot in Italy’s waters:

• Fin Whale, the second larget animal in the world
• Sperm Whale, the world’s largest toothed predator
• Cuvier’s Beaked Whale: it holds the record for the longest dive of any mammal - over 3 hours underwater

Best Spotting Tip: all these whales are most commonly spotted in Liguria, in the Pelagos Sanctuary. While on vacations to the Ligurian Sea, add a boat tour to explore the area!

Here at Play Italy, we are dedicated to transforming your exploration of Italy's natural wonders into a seamless and unforgettable experience. Whether you're marveling at the majestic peaks of the Dolomites, relaxing by the serene waters of Lake Como, savoring the rolling hills of Tuscany, or soaking in the stunning coastal views of the Amalfi Coast, our Booking Agent service is here to tailor your adventure to your tastes. We ensure that each moment is not just seen but truly experienced. 
 
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Choose one of our tours and let Play Italy open the door to a world where each sight is a story, each landscape a memory. Come play with us and let us turn your Italian holiday into a journey of enchanting nature and unforgettable experiences. Your dream of Italy awaits—let's bring it to life, together.