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What kinds of animals were native to Europe. I know the bear, wolf and sheep but what other kind of animals?
skunk
rabbit
fox (what colors)
coyote
deer
bear (black - brown)
etc............
Joshua B. Davis
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In 100CE you would find leopards in Greece, lions in the Caucasus mountains, cheetahs in Armenia, Ibis in Spain (I think), Barbary apes in Gibraltar, jackals in SE Europe and Russia, wolverine in Scandinavia, goats, hares, rabbits, porcupines, wild boar, wolves, foxes, lynx, wild cats, bats, beavers, snakes, cattle, horses (small ones),...... The list goes on.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
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Skunk and coyote are definitely animals native only to the American continent. The same with the racoon which was brought over to Europe only in the past century and is found now in the wilderness also after some escaped from zoos.
As for birds of prey you could go for various types of eagles, vultures, hawks etc.
Then there was also the aurochs (now extinct) and the wisent (a kind of European buffalo).
Lynx and wildcat.
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'Europe' is pretty big, but the skunk, raccoon and coyote definitely don't qualify. There is also some debate about how and when the rabit was introduced as it is not native originally, and may have been brought in deliberately.
European wild fauna in northern and western Europe (very broadly) in Roman times would have included
hares, red squirrels, IIRC hamsters, hegdehogs, mice and rats (the introduction of brown rats is debated), muskrats, beavers and (heretically) rabbits
Roe and red deer, moose (elk, whatever, the big, dumb-looking, incredibly strong and mart ones), wild boar and aurochs, and chamois and feral goats in the mountains.
Moorhen, quail, grouse, duck and goose (various), swan, stork, bustard, heron, various gulls, cormorants, auks and whatisisname, the seabird that flies brilliantly and lands like a ton of bricks (it's 'Tölpel' in German), pigeons, woodpeckers, owls, blackbirds, crows and ravens, hawks, falcons, eagles and vultures (though those are limited to mountainous regions). Literally hundreds of smaller bird species.
Wild cats, foxes, badgers (the ones with the stripey face, not the American kind), otters, martens, ermine, weasels, ferrets, lynxes, wolves and brown bears.
Seals, porpoises and sometimes even whales (I don't know the exact species, probably Greenland whales and North Cape, Belugas and maybe mikys?).
The most commonly ecountered anmimals, though, would most likely already be domesticated species - cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, dogs, chickens, flightless geese and ducks, and house pigeons. Europe has been a civilised place for a very long time, and our wild animals hide.
This is based on my reading on culinary history, so the list mostly includes animals that people ate, or at some point opined shouldn't be eaten. I'm omitting fish because translating fish names adequately is hell.
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About wolves:
I have swiss friend and we were talking about wolves a couple of years ago. He had seen a documentary where they claimed that wolves have not harmed any human in europe at least for two hundred years.
I just checked something: During the years 1721-1881 wolves ate/killed 181 people in Finland, of which 72 were adults. This is interesting because due to the EU regulations the amount of wolves have been increasing and there is a pack of five individuals around the forest of our summerhouse.
Two weeks ago I was shooting with my bow in the forest near our summerhouse and I think I heard some howling (I am serious!). It was in the early evening and I can tell you it was very creepy! I am seriously considering getting my Hasta (tip made by Mark Morrow & razor sharp) with me next time when I will go shooting in the woods!
Virilis / Jyrki Halme
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Pauasanias talks of "Paeonian Bull" that from depictions has been identified as European Bison (now only in Poland and Belarus). Bison remains have been found in Elatea and Lilea in Phokis.
Most zoolgists agree that the European lion was gray more like the specimens existing now in the Gir National park in India rather than the brownish african variety.
Ancient writers talk of the CHRYSOTHRIX LYKOS (golden hair wolf) that many belive it was the coyote.
Remains of the mountain lion (cougar) exist in the paleontological meuseum in Thessaloniki. The animal was ascociated with the Dioi tharcian tribe.
Remains of Lynxes in caves round Florina NW Greece (ancient Lynkistis) suggest that the ancient animals were larger than the modern.
Leopards existed in Taygetos and Helikon at the Bronze age and possibly Archaic Era.
For those who take an interst in Paleontology I suggest google the terms
PIKERMI and PIKERMIAN and you will be surprized.
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Quote:About wolves:
I have swiss friend and we were talking about wolves a couple of years ago. He had seen a documentary where they claimed that wolves have not harmed any human in europe at least for two hundred years.
That's just people confusing "France, Britain, Germany, Italy and the bits between" and Europe. No point getting bothered about it 
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Volker Bach
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Quote:Two weeks ago I was shooting with my bow in the forest near our summerhouse and I think I heard some howling (I am serious!). It was in the early evening and I can tell you it was very creepy! I am seriously considering getting my Hasta (tip made by Mark Morrow & razor sharp) with me next time when I will go shooting in the woods!
Maybe you shot the poor beast by mistake? 
But seriously, suppose one would attack you and you'd manage to spear it - would they prosecute you for harming an endangered animal?
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Quote:Two weeks ago I was shooting with my bow in the forest near our summerhouse and I think I heard some howling (I am serious!). It was in the early evening and I can tell you it was very creepy! I am seriously considering getting my Hasta (tip made by Mark Morrow & razor sharp) with me next time when I will go shooting in the woods!
Remember, that the animals fear you more than you fear them and attack because of being cornered etc. Just don't surprise them and they choose another route around you if you should be on their way.
Martin Eessalu from Adalsysla (Estonia)
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The thing is a bit different with the wolf-packs. The dynamism of a group of wolves is this: they are searching for food all the time , they are at first very careful with humans. But they get used to humans and become more and more confident of coming near them. Eventually it is possible that they can attack a human.
That`s why they usually shoot one wolf of the group which has become too familiar with the humans and the wolves become more careful about human surroundings again.
Like Churchill? said: "I don`t believe in ghosts, but I am afraid of them :wink: !
Virilis / Jyrki Halme
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