The slug (Geomalacus maculosus), the stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) and odonata (Macromia splendens) are some of the invertebrate species included in the Annex II of the Habitat Directive. The vertebrate fauna seems to be very rich and has some very interesting endemisms such as Rhopalorocera (Erebia triariussubsp. Mendesi), characteristic of the mountainous pastures. There are six known endemic species of fish in the park such as the barbell (Barbus bocagei), whose distribution in Galicia limits to the Limia and Támega basins, the chub (Squalius carolitertii), the bermejuela (Rutilus arcasii), Chondrostoma duriense and Gasterosteus gymnurus.

As it should be expected of a transition area and with such a variety of environments, the natural space has a great herpetologic richness, with Eurosiberiand and Mediterranean elements, some of marginal distribution, and Northwestern Iberian endemisms. The area was listed in the inventory of important sites for Spanish herpetofauna (Xurés-Laboreiro; Dirección Xeral de Conservación da Natureza, 2004). We can especially highlight the populations of the gold-striped salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica), endemic in Galicia and North Portugal, that lives in the numerous fast water streams in sombre watercourse, and the catalogue of Mediterranean species such as the large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) and the whole ophidian community, integrated by all the species of the Galician fauna, including the Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), the ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris) and the snub-nosed viper (Vipera latasti) found in very few spots in the province of Ourense, in scrublands and stony environments.

The bird life is also varied as a result of the biogeographic position of the area and the environmental complexity derived from the altitudinal gradient and the different orientation of the mountain ranges. There is a presence of birds of prey, including threatened species and some of very localized distribution such as the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), which flies over the mountain ranges from the Peneda-Gerês National park, the Bonelli’s eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus), which is more present in Galicia, and the eagle owl (Bubo bubo), whose small nesty population was reinforced by releasing several examples. Other nesting birds are the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus), the honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), the hen harrier (Circus cyaneus), the Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus) and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). There is a Mediterranean and mountainous bird life, linked with large rocks and bushes, with many species located in Galicia (in some cases there are very small populations) such as the small pigeon (Columba oenas), the red-rumped swallow (Hirundo daurica), the tawny pipit (Anthus campestris), the black-eared wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica), the rock thrush (Monticola saxatilis) and the blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius), the chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and the ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana). In contrast, the natural space together with Peneda-Gerês National Park takes in some of the most Southwestern populations of typically Eurosiberian species such as the tree pipit (Anthus trivialis), the garden warbler (Sylvia borin), the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) the bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) and the yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella). The common crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) has here one of the few, perhaps the only one, breeding zones in Galicia. Regarding the aquatic birdlife, linked to the dams, we can stand out the presence of the great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with truly notable groups in the River Salas dam, and the breeding of the little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius).

Regarding mammals, we can stand out some of the most emblematic species of our fauna such as the Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), the excellent community of carnivores, including all the autochthonous species such as the wildcat (Felis sylvestris), the European otter (Lutra lutra), the European Pine Marten (Martes martes) and the grey wolf (Canis lupus) as well as chiroptera that have less-known species such as the Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus). The edible dormouse (Glis glis) reached in these lands the South Western limit of its European distribution area. The brown bear (Ursus arctos) survived in this area until the middle of the 20th century. Among the big herbivores we should mention the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and the wild boar (Sus scrofa) as well as the Galician-Portuguese breed of the horse (Equus cavallus) that lives partly free on the tops of the mountain ranges thanks to a revival programme that is being carried out. In 1997 the Spanish wild goat (Capra pyrenaica) was luckily reintroduced. The species, which is known to have been present in this area until 1892, had become a local endemism (Capra pyrenaica subsp. lusitanica).