Galicica

Due to the natural beauty and specific flora and fauna in the forests and forest areas on Galicica Mountain, a larger part of it with an area of 22.750 ha, was proclaimed as national park in 1958. The National Park Galicica, situated in the furthest south-eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia, is characteristic for its positioning between the two lakes - Ohrid and Prespa Lake, for the involved orthography and the interesting geomorphologic shapes (deep valleys, variousl types of karst forms, and glacial relief forms). The National Park Galicica is especially distinguished with the abundance of floristic wealth. The areas of a number of plant species, which are representatives of different flora elements, reach up to here, some of which reach the limit of its distribution on north, i.e. south, or on east i.e. west. The finds of some of the plant species on Galicica are unique at the territory of the Republic of Macedonia. There are 37 plant communities present on the territory of the Park, 20 of which are forest ones. The National Park Galicica is a classical find for 20 higher plant species (Cormophytae) 12 of which are endemic only for the mountain Galicica and the Ohrid and Prespa Lake coastal areas, representing local endemic species. The numerous representation of butterflies - 1644 species, which is an enormous concentration on such a small space. According to the numerous representation of amphibia and reptiles, the National Park Galicica is close to the level of presence of the herpethofauna on the entire territory of certain central European countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, etc.). The class of birds on Galicica is represented with 266 species, making 84% of the total Macedonian ornithofauna, while the mammals, with 51 species, represent 62% of the total mammalian fauna in Macedonia.