The Europa 2021 Endangered Wildlife issues offer a stunning array of bugs, birds ‘n mammals to round up. Any collector of animals on stamps will be in paradise with this multi national European contest. I waited until a substantial number of stamps became available before cobbling things together and now, finally, there is a lot to love here. I’m sure I’ve missed a country or two. I’ll eventually scoop them up in my next sweep of Europa stamps.
EUROPA 2021 – Endangered Wildlife
Each year a theme is picked and all members can compete. Competition breaks down into 2 categories:
- Juried
- Popular
Voting will take place next year, so be sure to bookmark this site to find the winners. When voting opens I’ll post a link. You can vote for your favourite stamp here: EUROPA 2021 (posteurop.org)
Last year’s theme was Ancient Postal Routes, which offered some creative takes on mail delivery. Although my choices didn’t win, I’m actually thrilled with the winners. I’ll cover this in a separate article. Otherwise this will turn into one of those interminably long slogs for you.
I haven’t come close to finishing the list. Some issues haven’t been released and some have sparse information attached. There is a lot of work left to do on this page which means it’ll be continuously updated throughout the year, as I have with the Year of the Ox list. I am still sourcing good links for you about each animal. Part of the purpose of this series is to educate the public about endangered wildlife and to that end, I’ll share information on the various critters listed below.
A few days ago, I was chatting with a friend and she remarked that it was nice to see the “non cuddly” wildlife honoured. Its easy to draw attention to the puffins and adorable mice. It’s harder to get people to understand why beetles and frogs are so vital. Although I think Germany did a spectacular job with their Beetles. The stamps in this series do an admirable job in showcasing the diversity of species under threat. I’ll do my bit and try to give you some good information.
I’m thinking of running a poll on which will be the winner. I’ll work on it over the next week and if I like the way it looks, throw it up here.
VOTE for your favourite stamp
Join in the unofficial vote & pick your favourite stamp. Look through all the entries then pop over to EUROPA 2021 – vote for your favourite. See how our vote matches up to the official vote EUROPA 2021 (posteurop.org).
Åland
Moor frog (Rana arvalis)
Silver winner – “Most Beautiful Stamp” Juried
1 stamp, sheet of 20, cancel, FDC
POSTMARK PLACE: Mariehamn
Rana arvalis (Moor Frog) (iucnredlist.org)
Moor Frog: The Animal Files
Designer: Bo Lundwall
Date of Issue: May 7, 2021
See all Åland stamps for 2021
A bunch of Moor frogs hanging out:
:
Albania
1 stamp
Designer: Petraq Papa
Release date: May 9, 2021
Andorra (Spain)
“Bone Breaker” Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus)
Giant Bearded Vulture: The Bone Breaker – Techies (techiesmagazine.com)
1 stamp, cancel
Release date: April 30, 2021
Enjoy the view:
Andorra (France)
Trumpet rat (Galemys pyrenaicus)
1 stamp, sheet of 15
Designers:
Stamp: Pere Moles
Sheet: Stéphanie Ghinéa
Release date: May 14, 2021
You can see this unusual little creature in the video below. It is in Spanish, but not difficult to follow.
Armenia
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
1 stamp, sheet of 10
Listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Armenia
Golden Eagle – A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia ::Acopian Center for the Environment
Designer: Rem Saakyan
Release date: May 7, 2021
Austria
Wolf
1 stamp, booklet, FDC, cancel, non-philatelic B&W print, information sheet, joint packet with Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg & Germany
Designer: Marion Füllerer
Release date: May 8, 2021
See Austrian issues for 2021
Azerbaijan
Caucasian Leopard (Panthera Pardus Ciscaucasica) |Muflon (Ovis Orientalis)| South Caucasus lizard (Eremias Pleskei)
3 stamp, booklet, 2 sheets of 8, mini sheet of leopard, booklet of muflon & lizard stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel
All animals live in Zangazur National Park
Designer: Vugar Eyyubov
Release date: June 24, 2021
Azores
Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) | Azores noctule (Nyctalus azoreum)
Belarus
European hamster | Aquatic Warbler
Artist: Alexander Mityanin
Release date: May 4, 2021
See more stamps from Belarus here: issues for 2021
Belgium
European Adder (Vipera berus) | European hamster (Cricetus cricetus)
Stamps use black light ink
2 stamps, souvenir sheet
Vipera berus: The Most Successful Venomous Snake? – Herpetoculture Magazine
ADW: Cricetus cricetus: INFORMATION (animaldiversity.org)
Design and illustrations: Conz (Constantijn Van Cauwenberge)
Bosnia-Herzegovina (Croatia) FBiH
Western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus)
Bosnia-Herzegovina (Serbian) RS
Dwarf Mouse (Micromys minutes) | Hermann’s Tortoise (Testudo hermanni)
Herman’s Tortoise – Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio
Bosnia-Herzegovina (JP BH)
Eurasian Lynx | Chamois
Bulgaria
European Pine Martin | Marbled Polecat
Croatia
Eurasian Lynx | Western Capercaillie
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, sheet of
Designer: Nataša Odak
Release date: May 7, 2021
Cyprus
Mediterranean Seal (Monachus monachus) | Cypriot Bee (apis mellifera cypria)
2 stamps, 3 souvenir sheets, FDC, cancel
Designer: Anna Fotiadou
Release date: May 6, 2021
See the 2021 issues for Cyprus here.
North Cyprus
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, 2 sheets of 8, 2 FDCs, cancel
These stamps are for local delivery only. Turkish Cyprus stamps aren’t recognised by the UPU, nor is it a member of the Universal Postal Union or POSTEUROP.
Release date: July 9, 2021
Czech Republic
European Wildcat (Felis silvestris)
Detail from FDC:
1 stamp, sheet of 6, FDC, cancel
European Wildcat | European Wildcat Conservation (bigcatswildcats.com)
The wildcat is one of Czech rarest mammals. The difference between the wildcat and the domestic cat is readily apparent: the wild species is larger, mostly due to the longer and thicker hair. The fur colour is typically grey-brown to grey-yellow with distinct stripes on the back, legs, and tail. The shape, length, and the way the wild and the domestic species hold the tail also differ. The wildcat has a larger head, clearly smaller ears, and long sensitive whiskers.
In the Czech Republic, the wildcat usually lives in deciduous or mixed forests in low-lying mountainous or hilly areas. What it needs is a place to hide in, such as rock crevices, cavities in old massive trees, or abandoned fox and badger burrows. Future issues – Česká pošta (ceskaposta.cz)
Designer: Jaromír and Libuše Knotkovi
Previous designs: EUROPA: National Birds – Common kingfisher and the 2020 Songbirds around us series I, II & III and Honeybees as well as numerous wildlife issues over the past 6 years.
Jaromír Knotek was born on 18 February 1949 in Kladno. He is a Czech painter, graphic artist, and illustrator, whose art includes scientific illustrations. He and his wife, illustrator Libuše Knotková, also designed many postage stamps.
Libuše Knotková was born on 23 May 1949. Her father, Ladislav Jirka, made a significant contribution to the history and development of Czech stamp design.
Libuše and Jaromír Knotek resumed the family tradition and designed multiple Czech stamps as well as drawings for first day covers
Issue Plan of Czech Postage Stamp Issues 2020, p. 13
Release date: April 21, 2021
See Czech issues for 2021
Denmark
Butterflies
5 stamps
- Alcon Blue
- Northern Chequered Skipper
- Pearl Bordered Fritillary
- Common Yellow Swallowtail
- Purple Edged Copper
Danish butterflies in decline – Wild About Denmark
Artist: Marianne Therese Grønnow
Designer: PostNord Stamps/Ella Clausen
Release date: May 20, 2021
Estonia
Lady’s slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) | Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops)
2 stamp, 2 sheets of 10 tete-beche, FDC, cancel, info card
Designer: Vladimir Taiger
Release date: May 06, 2021
See issues for 2021
Faroe Island
Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) (vote for the puffins!)
2 stamps, a self-adhesive booklet with six stamps, postcards, FDC single stamps, FDC pair stamps, FDC blocks, cancel
Hinterland Who’s Who – Atlantic Puffin (hww.ca)
When Puffins come to shore, you can watch them courtesy the Puffin Cam – Live video of wild Puffins in Maine | Explore.org
Photos: Thomas Vikre and Jógvan Hansen
Release date: April 26, 2021
See issues for 2021
Even comes with it’s own identity card!
Finland
Kingfisher | Large Pollo Butterfly | Flying Squirrel
Designer: Petteri Mattila
Release date: April 28, 2021
See all of Finland’s 2021 releases here
France
European mink | Eurasian Lynx | Iberian Ibex | Melibée
1 stamp, cancel, sheet of 15, info sheet
Photogravure
A new vision for the critically endangered European mink – The Vincent Wildlife Trust (vwt.org.uk)
Eurasian Lynx – International Society for Endangered Cats (ISEC) Canada (wildcatconservation.org)
Iberian ibex – Wikipedia
Designer: : Broll and Prascida
Broll & Prascida have designed stamps for both France and Andorra (FR) Visit their extensive portfolio online to see their delicately detailed work.
Cancel: Florence Gendre
Gendre is an accomplished water colourist and member of Société Française d’Illustration Botanique (SFIB)
Release date: May 25, 2021
Georgia
Krtsanisi Forest Park, Tbilisi
2 stamps, souvenir sheet
Endangered pistachio tree with a gazelle and bald eagle.
A postage stamp created under the auspices of the European Union of National Post Operators “Post Europe” has been in circulation since October, depicting an endangered Cyprus turpentine tree, Goitered gazelle and bald eagle. The public presentation of the stamp was held in Krtsanisi Forest Park, within the framework of which 150 seedlings of Cyprus turpentine tree were planted, and a photo exhibition organized by “National Geographic” was held. Presentation of Postage Stamp Created under Auspices of Post Europe Held in Krtsanisi Park – Georgia Today
A Guest of Nature: Friedensreich Hundertwasser Exhibition in Krtsanisi Forest Park – Georgia Today
Release date: November 8, 2021
Germany
Beetles
I think Germany wins the cancel award
1 stamp, 2 cancels in blue, 1 Self-promotion cancel in blue
POSTMARK PLACE: Bonn, Berlin, Wurzburg
Wurzburg cancel on Maxi card Self-promotion postmark
- Gloomy beetle, as it is called in German, is on the red list of endangered species
- Bark shredder beetle
- Longhorn Beetle
Designer: Thomas Serres, Hattingen
Photos: Bavarian Forest National Park Administration
Release date: May 6, 2021
See issues for 2021
Gibraltar
Barbary Macaques
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, 2 sheets of 6, 2 FDCs, cancel, presentation pack, 1 post & go on sheet of 6, FDC, cancel
Barbary macaque : the species | BMAC
Designer: Stephen Perera
Release date: Feb. 5, 2021
Greece
Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) | Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, booklet
For the first time, the EUROPA Greek stamps are designed by students of the Athens School of Fine Arts who have attended the class “Graphic Arts – Stamp” from the Engraving Department, taught by Dr. Myrsini Vardopoulou and supervised by Prof. Yannis Gourzis
The design used a main feature of Engraving, namely breaking down the drawing into lines. “Thus, we have achieved a different artistic approach; one could say that it directly refers to old copperplate engraving stamps, but in combination with modern techniques. The most important aspect of this work is the clarity of the drawing”, points outs the teacher.
ELTA > Company > Press Office > Press releases
Designer: Dimitris Sidirokastritis
FDC Designer: Denisa Pemati
Cancel: Marianna Mastrantona
Release date: May 6, 2021
Greenland
Greenland White-fronted Goose | Harbour Seals
2 stamps, self-adhesive booklets, blocks of 4, 2 sheets of 10, 3 FDCs, cancel
Designer: Miki Jacobsen
Previous designs include 2020 Mammals, 2018 Sports in Greenland Inuit and Dene Games and 2019 50th anniversary of the first International Post Day
Release date: June 8, 2021
Guernsey
European herring gull | scaly cricket | Basking sharks |European eel | Black-backed meadow ant | Harbour porpoise | Glanville fritillary butterfly | Porbeagle shark
8 stamps, souvenir sheet
Guernsey Biological Records Centre (gov.gg)
Artist/designer: Wendy Bramall
Release date: April 7, 2021
See 2021 releases here.
Hungary
Stonechat |Steppe polecat
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, cancel, FDC
Designer: Tibor Z. Petényi
Release date: May 5, 2021
Listen to a stonechat:
See all Hungarian issues for 2021
Iceland
Iceland ceased printing new stamps at the end of Oct. 2020. Iceland post offers free, downloadable catalogues of all their issues.
Ireland
White prominent moth | Fresh water pearl mussel
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, 2 sheets of 16
Designed by Jenny Dempsey
Isle of Man
Sheerwater Recover Project
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheet of 10
This stamp is part of a larger set issued by Isle of Man titled The Calf of Man: Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the Manx National Trust Now Part of Manx National Heritage. The set includes 10 stamps featuring various parts of the Manx National Trust. The sheerwater is the only stamp in the set featuring the Europa logo.
Designer: EJC Design
Release date: April 12, 2021
Italy
Aeolian lizard | Brown Bear
2 stamps, postcard, cancel
Designer: Philatelic Center of the Operational Department of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca
Photographers: Marsican bear Easy Fotostock © Gennaro Leonardi / AGF | lizard of the Aeolian Islands © photographer Gentile Francesco Ficetola.
Release date: November 15, 2021
Jersey
Jersey Seabirds & Marine Life – Atlantic Puffin | Loggerhead Turtle | Orca | Bottlenose Dolphin | Balearic Shearwater | Grey Seal
6 stamps, FDC, FDC with souvenir sheet, souvenir sheets, presentation packs, strips, blocks, postcards
Coastal wildlife to feature on Jersey stamps and souvenir coin – Jersey Stamps
Designer: Sara Menon
Menon is a member of the Society of Botanical Artists
Release date: March 11, 2021
Kazakhstan
Siberian Roe Deer |Eurasian wild pig
2 stamps on a souvenir sheet
Designer: Г. Алтаева
Release date: November 2021
Kosovo
Caprolli | Brown Bear
2 stamps, 1 souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel
Release date: May 7, 2021
Latvia
Black Stork | Freshwater Pearl Mussel
2 stamps, sheets of sheets of 10, FDC, cancel
ADW: Ciconia nigra: INFORMATION (animaldiversity.org)
Freshwater pearl mussel | The Wildlife Trusts
Artist: Ģirts Grīva
Release date: April 23, 2021
Liechtenstein
Mouse Weasel (Mustela nivalis) | Edelkrebs (Astacus astacus)
2 stamps
The mouse weasel – NABU NRW
Astacus astacus – Wikipedia
Designer: Angelo Boog, Valais
Release date: March 1, 2021
Lithuania
Long-tailed seal (also known as a grey seal) | Lynx
2 stamps, FDC, cancel
Quality of the cancel isn’t good. If you have a better one and would like to share it, I’d appreciate the share.
Designer: L. Aleknavičiūtė
Release date: April 23, 2021
Luxembourg
Western polecat (Mustela putorius) | Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis)
Artist: Johan de Crem
Designer: Ierace + Dechmann + Partners (LU)
Release date: May 11, 2021
Macedonia
Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) | Wolf (Canis lupus) | Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos) | Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) |Balkan Lynx (Lynx lynx balcanicus) | Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)
6 stamps, 2 mini sheets
Release date: May 11, 2021
Madeira
Zino’s Petrel (Pterodroma Madeira) | Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta)
2 stamps, mini sheet, FDC, cancel
Designer: Marco N
Release date: May 7, 2021
Malta
Mediterranean Chameleon | Painted Frog
2 stamps, 2 souvenir sheets, FDCs, cancel, blocks, presentation pack
Photographer: Sean Dingli
Release date: May 12, 2021
Moldovia
Black stork | Eagle Owl
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 8, booklet, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
Designer: Oleg Cojocari
Release date: May 28, 2021
Monaco
Long-snouted Seahorse
1 stamp, sheet of 10
Designer: Stefano Morri
Release date: May 6, 2021
Montenegro
Tivat Saline
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
The Area of Solila is located in the wetlands section of the coastal belt of tivat bay and captures an unused flood area in the area of Grbalje polje.
In the flora and vegetation of the Montenegrin littoral, the Area of Solila is recognized by the vegetation inhabited by salty wet habitats. Since these complex types of natural vegetation on a muddy-clay surface have already disappeared on most habitats on the eastern Adriatic coast, this preservation of the compactness of the Tivat salt salt area as a safe habitat for halophyte vegetation stands out as a special ecological challenge. In the territory of Tivat salts, 14 representatives of amphibians and reptiles were registered.
So far, 111 bird species have been registered on the Solili, representing more than 20% of the total number of species of European ornithophaune. Salts are the habitat of numerous endangered species and are protected as a special flora-faunist reserve.
Montenegro post office
Designer: Romana Pehar
Pehar is a painter from Kotor. You can see more of his work on his Tumbler site Romana Pehar (tumblr.com)
Special Nature Reserve Tivat Saline | Parks Dinarides (discoverdinarides.com)
Release date: May 9, 2021
Netherlands
Endangered Bees
2 stamps, sheetlet
Designer: Karen Polder
Release date: May 12, 2021
Norway
Atlantic Puffin | Great Yellow Bumblebee
2 stamps, 3 FDC, gold letter cover, cancel, presentation folder, 2 maxi cards, gutter strips
Artist/Designer: Camilla Kvien Jensen
Release date: April 23, 2021
Poland
Eurasian lynx
Gold winner – “Most Beautiful Stamp” Juried
1 stamp, Souvenir sheet of 9, FDC, cancel
Designer: Bożydar Grozdew
Release date: April 21, 2021
Portugal
European pond terrapin | Saramungo
2 stamps, minisheet, FDC with stamps from Portugal, Madeira and Azores, cancel, information brochure, maxi card
Part of a joint set with Madeira and Azores (details coming soon)
Designer: Francisco Galamba
Release date: May 7, 2021
Romania
European mink | Great bustard
4 stamps, 2 souvenir sheets, FDCs, cancel
Designer: George Ursachi
Release date: April 22, 2021
Russia
Persian Leopard
1 stamp, souvenir pack (with 5 stamps), art card, FDC cancel
Designer: Vladimir Beltyukov
Release date: Jan. 20, 2021
San Marino
Geotritone | River Crab
2 stamp, sheets of 12
- Geotritone (amphibian), visible in sheet selvedge sparrow Monticola Solitarius, the small rodent Moscardinus, the rare mantis Empusa Pennata and the grasshopper Acrometopa Macropoda
- River Crab visible in sheet selvedgeskunk, the amphibious Bombina Pachypus, the butterfly Zerinthia Cassandra and the fish Barbus Caninus
Designer: Mauro Mazzara
Release date: March 30, 2021
Serbia
Shaker Falcon |Shore Lark
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 8, FDC, cancel
Designer: Marija Vlahović
Release date: May 5, 2021
Slovenia
Wildcat | Kivji Petelin
2 stamps + sheetlets, FDC, cancel
Designer: Maja Tomažič
Release date: May 28, 2021
Slovakia
Western Capercaillie
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, booklet, maxi, postcard
I had a few issues with translations re: what I think are the postcard and maxi. If this is incorrect information, please leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to fix the info.
Release date: May 7, 2021
Spain
Iberian Lynx
1 stamp, sheets of 25, folder, postcard, 2 cancels
POSTMARK PLACE: Madrid and Barcelona
Release date: May 14, 2021
Sweden
Green Spotted Toad
1 stamp
Release date: Jan. 14, 2021
Switzerland
Woodland brown butterfly | Scarce large blue butterfly
2 stamps, block of 4, sheet of 16, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
POSTMARK PLACE: Bern
Designer: Nina Schwarz
Release date: June 6, 2021
Turkey
Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) | Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus)
2 stamps, FDC, cancel
Photographer: SAD-AFAG Cem Orkun KIRAÇ
Designer: Gamze AKSOY
Release date: May 9, 2021
Ukraine
The Carpathians
Bronze winner – “Most Beautiful Stamp” Juried
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 6, 2 FDCs, cancel
POSTMARK PLACE: Kyiv and Transcarpathian Region
Killer wheels | Cry of the Carpathians
Beech virgin forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2017). The Carpathian mountain forests in Central Europe are one of the most important havens for large predators, including the brown bear.
Beech virgin forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2017). The Carpathian mountain forests in Central Europe are one of the most important havens for large predators, including the brown bear.
According to the UN, the forests of the Ukrainian Carpathians are disappearing at an alarming rate due to illegal logging. This has already led to climate change, and as a result -large-scale floods, flooded villages and roads, the destruction of bridges. And the worst – destruction of a unique ecosystem, because the Carpathians – it is a climatic factor of all Ukraine.
Philately of Ukraine, No. 26
Designer: 0. Simonenko
Release date: May 9, 2021
Vatican
Eurasian wren | Common kestrel
2 stamps
Designer: Graphic department of Poste Vaticane
Release date: May 25, 2021
See more Vatican stamps for 2021 here.
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