Flora of Kopaonik contains over 1,500 plant species. This area is one of the most important centers of biological diversity and endemism in the Balkans, because the National park has 91 endemic species and 82 sub-endemic plant species. Mountain Kopaonik is particularly attractive because of distinctive landscape with dense coniferous forests (spruce and fir) at higher elevations and mixed beech and oak forests in the lower parts, as well as large areas with extremely valuable and preserved ecosystems. On the Kopaonik there is a large number of species of wild berries, wild flowers and herbs. Rare endemic (legally protected) plant, edelweiss, can be seen on this mountain. World of fungi is represented with 219 species of edible or poisonous, some of which are rare or for the first time found right here on Kopaonik.
On the highest habitats of Kopaonik there are numerous animal species, and the most important are: gray falcon, golden eagle, owl, wild cat and deer, horned lark, crossbill, lizard and other animal species. Mammal fauna includes 40 species. Kopaonik is the only known site where the endemic and relic species of the daily butterfly Colias balcanica Rebel is found and with 138 species of daily butterflies Kopaonik is one of the richest mountains of the Balkan peninsula in this group of insects. The NP Kopaonik waters belong to the salmonid, trout region and are distinguished only by the fish settlements of the indigenous species of trout trout. From the 19th century until today, about 180 species of birds have been recorded in the Kopaonik area. Kopaonik was listed on the list of internationally important bird areas (IBA) in 1997.
2019