EUROPA 2021 Postage Stamp Issues




 * Åland
 * Andorra
 * Austria
 * Belarus
 * Belgium
 * Bosnia & Herzegovina
 * Bulgaria
 * Estonia
 * Germany
 * Gibraltar
 * Guernsey
 * Ireland
 * Russia
 * Spain
 * Sweden
 * Switzerland
 * Turkey
 * Ukraine

Åland
EUROPA 2021 - Endangered Wildlife

7 May 2021

Åland Post issued its contribution to the 2021 Europa stamp series on the theme endangered wildlife, a stamp featuring moor frogs, a protected species.

A 2020 inventory found that the moor frog was the least observed amphibian, but it was seen all over mainland Åland.

Andorra
Europa - Almesquera (Pyrenean Desman)

15 May 2021

On 15 May 2021 La Poste (France) issued Andorra's contribution to EUROPA 2021's theme on Endangered National Wildlife featuring the Trumpet Rat.

The Trumpet Rat, or Desman of the Pyrenees, (Galemys Pyrenaicus) is a small mammal of the Talpidae family. It lives in clean, cool and strong waterways, especially with rocky channels.

In most of its range, it has experienced a marked decline in recent decades. Considered to be a critically endangered species, today there are only 2 muskrat outbreaks in Andorra, in the Os and Madriu rivers.

Austria
EUROPA 2021 - Wolf

8 May 2021

The artwork chosen by Österreichische Post for this year’s 2021 Europa topic is the wolf.

The wolf has been considered extinct in Austria since 1882 as a result of intense persecution, destruction of the natural habitat and insufficient prey. However, starting around 2009, individual animals kept arriving in the country and in 2016, the first wolf family had Austrian-born puppies in Allentsteig/Lower Austria. As of today, roughly 30 wolves live in Austria. They roam in Allentsteig and especially in the forest as well as in the area bordering the Czech Republic.

Belarus
EUROPA. Endangered National Wildlife

4 May 2021

The Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus issued 2 stamps "Endangered National Wildlife" bearing the EUROPA logo.

The species presented on the stamps are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus and include:
 * Aquatic Warbler
 * European Hamster (Competition Stamps)

The species presented on the stamps are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus.

The European Hamster is a large rodent with a beautiful variegated colour. The rodent has been assigned the highest conservation status for wild populations. This is the status of critically endangered species. A few decades ago, the European Hamster was so widespread that it was considered a dangerous pest of agriculture and was subject to destruction. This led to a sharp decline in its numbers.

Belgium
Endangered Animals

14 June 2021

In this Europe issue, bpost takes a closer look at Endangered Animal species in Belgium. bpost chose the Viper and the European Hamster (competition stamp).

Bosnia & Herzegovina
EUROPE 2021 - Big Grouse

5 April 2021

Hrvatska Pošta Mostar (Croatian Post Mostar) chose a male and a female Great Black Grouse (Tetrao Urogallus), a species that is considered an endangered species of game. Black Grouse belong to the genus of forest birds from the order of chicken (Galliformes), living in dense mountain forests and feeding on various fruits and berries, leaves, buds, grass, and in winter with the needles of coniferous trees.

Males of the great black grouse have black luxuriant feathers; their wings are reddish-brown with a white spot on the wing joint. They have a bright red crescent above their eyes and a dark green wreath around their goitre. They grow from 65 to 70 cm with an average weight of 7 kg.

Bulgaria
Europa 2021 - Protected Animals

31 May 2021

Bulgarian Post issued its contribution to the 2021 Europa stamp series, a stamp featuring the Marbled Polecat, a vulnerable species.

Populations of Marbled Polecats are declining in many areas of their range, in which they are already uncommon. Habitat destruction, desertification, and the changing of natural habitat to farmland have led to a large reduction in population size. Human reduction of rodent populations as well as road traffic and hunting are also reducing populations of marbled polecats. Additionally, this species can become infected with ticks and fleas, which is an increasing problem.

Estonia
EUROPA - Endangered National Wildlife

6 May 2021

On 6 May Omniva (formerly known as Eesti Post) issued two new stamps celebrating Estonia's rich and rare natural wildlife.

The Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa Epops) is a bright and colourful bird about the size of a pigeon. It has a feather tuft on the top of its head which stands up when excited. The elegant bird may often be seen walking on the ground or sometimes even running short distances. It is also capable of climbing trees, but this can rarely be seen. Its flight is reminiscent of a large butterfly because of its undulating path and rapid wing flapping. The Eurasian hoopoe nests in hollows in trees, on the ground or in walls. It is afraid of men but not of man-made structures. The bird tries to reuse its nest for several years.

Germany
Europe Series: Endangered National Wildlife

6 May 2021

On 6 May 2021, the German Federal Ministry of Finance issued a special postage stamp entitled "Endangered National Wildlife" from the "Europe" series.

Insects are amazing creatures in some ways: They have been populating the earth for at least 400 million years and no other animal class is even remotely as diverse as they are. So far, around 900,000 insect species have been scientifically described and several million previously undiscovered species are suspected, especially in the tropical rainforests. The largest order in the class of insects are the Beetles (Coleoptera) with 350,000 species. They were probably formed 265 million years ago and are now found on all continents except Antarctica. About 8,000 of them are native to Central Europe, many are considered to be adaptive artists. But changing environmental conditions and the disappearance of habitats threaten the continued existence of numerous species.

Gibraltar
Europa 2021 - Barbary Macaques II

2 February 2021

The Royal Gibraltar Post Office's Philatelic Bureau released a set of stamps featuring the Barbary Macaques, classified as endangered by the IUCN. The Macaques are Gibraltar’s most popular tourist attraction and the only wild monkey population found in Europe.

Perhaps Gibraltar's most important tourist attraction, the Barbary Macaques are normally found in North Africa, but their presence in Gibraltar probably dates from the early days of the British garrison when it is presumed that they were imported, inevitably finding the rough limestone cliffs and scrub vegetation a congenial habitat. In fact, many legends have grown up around them. One is that they travelled from their native Morocco via a subterranean tunnel starting at St Michael's Cave leading down underneath the Strait of Gibraltar.

Guernsey
Europa: Endangered National Wildlife

7 April 2021

Guernsey Post’s Philatelic Bureau released a set of stamps featuring some of the species of the endangered wildlife found in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The stamps depict species that are locally registered from critically endangered through to near threatened.

These delightful stamps, designed by artist Wendy Bramall, depict just some of the species found on the island of Guernsey and its surrounding waters, including the Basking shark and European eel, both of which bear the EUROPA logo.

Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, Basking sharks, which are the world’s second-largest fish, are now protected in EU waters and under some international agreements. They are mostly seen in or near the Hurd Deep, an underwater valley northwest of the Channel Islands and the deepest point in the English Channel.

Ireland
EUROPA - Endangered National Wildlife

6 May 2021

On 6 May An Post issued two new stamps celebrating Ireland’s rich and rare natural wildlife as part of the EUROPA series.

Endangered national wildlife broadly refers to species that are threatened with extinction. In Ireland, the Wildlife Act is the principle mechanism for the legislative protection of species that have significant conservation value.

The stamps features the Freshwater Pearl Mussel which is on the verge of extinction in Ireland and western Europe. It is a large filter-feeding bivalve, which is found in near-pristine freshwater habitats. These animals are extremely long-lived and are capable of surviving for up to 140 years, making them Ireland's longest living animal. Adult mussels can reach lengths of 12 - 15 cm, and live buried in the river bed. Freshwater Pearl Mussels are filter feeders, inhaling and expelling up to 50 l of water per day, while retaining food particles.

Russia
National Endangered Wildlife

20 January 2021

Russian Post issued a stamp as part of the EUROPA 2021 theme to raise awareness on Endangered Wildlife and Biodiversity.

The postage stamp features a female Persian leopard with a cub. The Persian leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica) is on the list of the Red Book of the Russian Federation and belongs to the first category as an endangered species. Its total global population is within 1,000. It was completely exterminated in Russia but presently, several young predators bred in the Leopard Recovery Centre and were released into the wild in the Caucasus. This is the largest subspecies of leopards.

Spain
Europe 2021 - National Fauna in Danger of Extinction - Lynx

14 May 2021

On 14 May 2021 Correos issued its contribution to the EUROPA 2021 theme on Endangered National Wildlife featuring the most emblematic animals of the Peninsula, the Iberian lynx, as the main motif.

The lynx, larger than a domestic cat, was declared a protected species in 1966 and is considered the most threatened feline in the world.

The stamp includes a drawing of four lynxes of different sizes with strokes and colors that remind us of this special animal.

Sweden
Precious Nature

14 Januaryy 2021

(PostNord) issued a stamp as part of the EUROPA 2021 - "Endangered National Wildlife" theme to raise awareness on Endangered Wildlife.

Environmental issues have received greater attention in recent times, largely thanks to Greta Thunberg’s school strike for climate or Fridays for Future, which has had a global impact with its calls for action on global warming and climate change.

In recent years, the European Green Toad has gone from vulnerable to critically endangered status and there are now only a few remaining in the Skåne och Blekinge regions. Eutrophication and drainage are two of several reasons for its decline. In order to save the species in Sweden, European Green Toads are bred to be transplanted, but it is also necessary to restore and preserve the habitat in which the toads live.

Switzerland
EUROPA – Endangered National Wildlife

6 May 2021

Swiss Post issued a set of two stamps under the EUROPA 2021 - "Endangered National Wildlife" theme.

The two postage stamps feature the Woodland Brown and the Scarce Large Blue (Competition Stamp) Butterlies respectively – two butterflies that could hardly be more different. But they do have one thing in common: both are classified as endangered species in Switzerland.

The designs are of the Woodland Brown (Lopinga Achine) and the Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris Teleius) – because insects are also classified as wild animals. The illustrations seek to highlight the delicate nature of these animals through a highly detailed and lifelike style. The meticulous presentation and vibrant background colours aim to catch the eye and emphasize the fact that the animals are under threat.

Turkey
Europe 2021 (National Endangered Wildlife)

9 May 2021

Posta ve Telgraf Teşkilatı (PTT) (Turkish Post) issued its contribution to EUROPA 2021's theme on Endangered National Wildlife featuring the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus Monachus).

Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus Monachus) is among the most endangered mammals in the world and also considered one of the rarest species in all of Europe. The world population is estimated around 700 individuals which live in four main breeding sub populations; in the Mediterranean, along Turkish and Greek coasts and in the Atlantic, the coasts of Madeira Archipelago of Portugal and West Sahara coasts in west Africa.

Ukraine
Endangered National Wildlife. Carpathians

9 June 2021

Ukrposhta issued 2 stamps "Endangered National Wildlife - Carpathians" bearing the EUROPA logo to highlight the fact that Ukraine's National Nature (the Carpathian area) is on the verge of extinction.

Beech virgin forests and the ancient forests of the Carpathians as well as other regions of Europe are UNESCO World Heritage Sites (2017). The Carpathian mountain forests are one of the most significant havens for large predators, in particular the brown bear. According to the UN, the forests of the Ukrainian Carpathians are disappearing at an alarming rate due to illegal logging.

The motifs depicted on the stamps represents the dangers of deforestation (Killer Wheels (Deforestation) stamp) and a howling wolf (Cry of the Forest (Endangered Species) stamp) representing the sounds of the forests.