The Natura 2000 SCI Măcin Mountains Site (ROSCI0123) with a surface of 16.926,60 hectares represent an area which is designed to conserve and protect habitats of priority and European importance, as well as the population of different rare and endangered species of plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles and mammals which are found within the Appendices of the “Habitats” Directive (the specific law for the protection of habitats and distinctive species applicable to the whole European Community).
Thus, in the site one finds important surfaces of the next high-priority habitats:
- Eastern white oak woods (91AA)
- Euro-Siberian steppic woods with Quercus spp. (91I0)
- Pannonian-Balkanic turrule based system turkey oak –sessile oak forests (91M0)
- Dacian oak & hornbeam forest (91Y0)
- Dobrogean beech forests (91X0)
- Ponto-Sarmatic deciduous thickets (40C0)
- Ponto-Sarmatic deciduous thickets (62CO)
- Pannonic salt steppes and salt marshes (1530)
- Siliceous rock with pioneer vegetation of the Sedo-Scleranthion or of the Sedo albi-Veronicion dillenii (8230)
- Caves not open to the public (8310)
Altogether the site offers good condition for the next protected species:
Plants:
- Agrimonia pilosa (Agrimony)
- Moehringia jankae
- Campanula romanica (Dobrogean endemic Bellflower)
- Himantoglossum caprinum
- Echium russicum (Viper’s Bugloss)
Insects:
- Lycaena dispar (Large Copper)
- Callimorpha quadripunctaria (Jersey Tiger Moth)
- Lucanus cervus (stag beetle)
- Osmoderma eremita (hermit beetle)
- Cerambyx cerdo (great capricorn beetle)
- Morimus funereus (Long-horned beetle)
- Rosalia alpine (Rosalia longicorn)
- Pholidoptera transsylvanica
- Euphydryas maturna (Scarce Fritillary)
Amphibians and reptiles:
- Bombina bombina (Fire-bellied Toad)
- Testudo graeca ibera (Spur thighed tortoise)
- Elaphe quatuorlineata (Four-lined Snake)
Mammals:
- Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Greater Horseshoe Bat)
- Spermophilus citellus (ground squirrel)
- Mesocricetus newtoni (Dobrogean Hamster)
- Mustela eversmannii (Steppe polecat)
- Vormela peregusna (marbled polecat)
The number of superior plants represents over 19% of European flora and is compatible with the rich flora of the Crete and Corsica islands. One of the main arguments for the establishment of this site is the remarkable ecological value of these mountains and the presence of many floristic species, which are nationally and internationally endangered. The Măcin Mountains and their neighboring areas are the only areas in Romania where there still are important natural steppe vegetation areas, which are no longer found in the Balkans and is very rare in Europe. This area protects 27 species and sub-species of endemic plants (Campanula romanica, Corydalis solida ssp slivenensis, Euphorbia nicaeensis ssp cadrilateri, Moehringia grisebachii, M. jankae, Silene cserei). Some of the insects found in the Măcin Mountains are new to science. For example, Polia cherrug was discovered in 1997 near Greci. Also, the macini subspecies of the Chersotis laeta butterfly, and the niculescui subspecies of the Chersotis fimbriata butterly have only been describes in 1997. Several insect species have been registered as only living in this part of Romania: Menaccarus arenicola, Nabis provencalis, Hypantopa segnelle, Bryotropha tachyptilella, Bryotropha domestica, Caryocolum alsinella, Caryocolum mucronatella, Anacampsis timidella, Dyspessa salicicola, Exophila rectangularis, Cucculia dracunculi, Nominoides facilis, Trichodes favarius, cerocoma schreberi, Halyzia sedecimguttata, Anatis ocellata, Harmonia quadripunctata, Judolia erratica, Strangalis septempunctata, etc.